#even that 24k think pink chapter was before then!!

[suzukiblu]

. . . so I started tracking my daily word count in, like, mid-June, and today I did the math on that and uhhhhh . . . I have apparently written, give or take, 225k of fic since June 18th. Somehow. Which is apparently at least 750 pages, for context.

I . . . a) how is that physically possible, jfc; and b) how have I written all those words and somehow not finished ANY of my friggin' longfics?! 🤣🤣🤣🤣 SELF PLS--

[finitepeace]

this week in my fic reading life: still crying over stony.

this week i’m trying some of the reincarnation trope, peggy carter is tony stark’s mom trope, and age regression trope. 

Past Lives by lookin1080p_feelinVHS

Summary: Tony and Steve get in a fight. Tony thinks Steve would be better off without him but learns that this is not the first time they were together.

1k words, tony having a few flashbacks of stony in their past lives

You take me to Nirvana by Jackttwist  💙

Summary:  "Talk to me" He answered

"You probably want to get to DC qui ck,Stark."

2k words, post CA:TWS hospital conversation between stony 

age after age; forever by theappleppielifestyle

Summary: Steve and Tony are born for the first time as a Prince and his Knight.

The last time they are born, they're Iron Man and Captain America.

2k words, bit flashbacks on stony’s past lives before avengers 

Lost and Found by winterwind  💙

Summary: I will find you. I will always find you.

2k words, stony’s lives from 1400ish to 2012 

Home Can Be a Person, Too by Impala_Chick  💙

Summary: Sam helps Steve take out Hydra in D.C., travels the world in search of the Winter Soldier, and eventually becomes an Avenger. But somewhere along the way, he realizes that Steve isn't telling him everything.

And when Steve's judgment becomes impaired because of his personal feelings towards Tony? Sam feels an obligation to take action.

8k words, sam POV, civil war fix-it a.k.a. tony finds out the secret before siberia 

in these moments by orphan_account

Summary: Tony visits Steve after The Winter Soldier incident.

1k words, post CACW

not this omegaverse by  Annehiggins 

series of 2, 21k words, abo verse, forced marriage pre-Avengers 2012, 

His Mother's Eyes by Annehiggins 💙

Summary: Peggy Carter is Tony's mother. It changes a lot, but some things are still destined. 

24k words,  it starts with tony sabotaging the 1940s hospital room stage to ease Steve’s awakening, kinda Avengers AU, tony is loved T_T, bucky found early and married peggy. 

Cap Luvs his Teddy Tony by Annehiggins

Summary: Steve gets hit by a mental regression ray and wants what he wants – cuddling Tony.

4k words, cute 

Pink Is the Color of ...? by Annehiggins 💙

Summary: The new element Tony created for his arc reactor core responds to his moods. Once the other Avengers move into the Tower they quickly figure out what all the colors mean. Except one – pink.

3k words, it’s all in the summary. 

Top That! by Bearixt

Summary: There was a swish—a familiar sound of a circular magic teleportation thing being made, a sound that Steve had associated as a harbinger of traumatic events.

This time, in the middle of their movie night, it was Stephen dropping off a teenager who looked like— no, who was probably Tony.

2k words, tony turned into his teenager self, just for a moment. 

tom ford be damned by brucewaynery

Summary: Steve Rogers gets turned into a toddler.

this is how Tony Stark handles it.

700 words. 

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by allumir

Summary: Tony gets de-aged by a villian and it's up to Steve to take care of him but Tony seems afraid of him for some reason.

2k words, trace of howard stark’s A+ Parenting 

The Other Side of the Story by missbecky

Summary: Steve goes to visit Peggy one day, and discovers he isn't the only Avenger who's been coming to see her.

2k words

Understanding something doesn't mean you can change it (except where you can) by sirona

Summary: How Howard Stark went from Captain America's Howard Stark to the one Tony grew up with. And a possible explanation for Tony's Mom not taking more of an interest in her son. And Tony coping with the parents he's been saddled with. With bonus appearances from Peggy Carter, Dummy and, eventually, Steve himself.

3k words

Watermarks by SailorChibi

Summary: There was nothing I could do by then, though. I tried, but Howard had so much money and influence and I’d given up all my parental rights.

Howard. Maria.

Steve stared at Peggy's letter in growing horror.

No.

3k words

Size America*  by KMYash

Summary: Fill for CapKink Prompt

http://capkink.livejournal.com/810.html?thread=342058#t342058

"Steve was well-endowed before he became a soldier, enough so that Bucky made jokes about it. After getting the serum, he's found that he's even grown there — and so has his libido, but he's terrified of sex, afraid he'll hurt someone, if not with his strength then with his dick.

Tony only needs to catch one glance at Steve changing before he's decided that yeah, he wants a piece of that. He just needs to convince Steve it's a good idea.

4k words, smut, ao3 users only. 

Mister Fixit and the Mechanic by Mizzy 💙

Summary: An Iron Man 3 AU, wherein Steve was defrosted too early, and after a couple of lonely decades working for SHIELD, decides to retire and run a hardware store called Mister Fixit’s in suburban Miami.

Tony Stark, presumed dead, presumed not-Iron Man, needs to make some weapons to take on the Mandarin’s mansion. A non-chain store that takes cash and doesn’t ask questions is just what Tony needs.

Steve becomes intrigued by the mysterious mechanic that keeps buying things from his store, but when he becomes more aware of what Tony the Mechanic is up to, is Steve ready to be this close to the world of superheroes again?

40k words. everyone in the small city loves steve!!! 

In the Stillness of Remembering by elise_509 💙

Summary: Steve Rogers is a reminder of a past that Tony Stark would rather forget. But when Steve’s own ghosts suddenly become the present, Tony finds he and Steve need each other to face the future.

70k words in 9 chapters, slow burn like.. WHY DONT THEY JUST KISS? 

And Tread Once More Familiar Paths by xxan

Summary: It wasn’t like reincarnation was some great big mystical concept. By now, it was completely accepted that sometime in your current life, you were going to remember something from a past life. Tony Stark's mother was worried when Tony turned ten and still hadn’t remembered anything, but the reincarnation specialist had assured her that some people began to remember as early as toddlers, and some as late as puberty.

But now Tony was 36, and he had never remembered anything.

7k words in 3 chapters,  soulmate au, angst with happy ending 

[lady-olive-oil]

Sweet Sexy Savage Chapter 2

Note: FINALLY, GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY! I finally updated this story!! I’m so sorry to keep you guys waiting for so long and I shouldn’t have, but patience is a virtue. This is around 1,700 words and I’d like to thank Google Docs for saving as I type, because without you I’d be losing my mind right now. So here we go!

Chapters | Prologue | Chapter 1 | 

Tag Squad: [let me know if ya wanna be included!]

@designrwriterchic | @hoodgirl163 | @cool-snowball-22-blog | @lavitabella87 | @msbigredmachine | @irenelove83 | @24k-black-girl-magic-baby | @wefunloveruniverse | @queenreignsempire | @chasingtveit

Malaysia’s POV

Is this a date? Or is it simply just two friends catching up on old times? Should I wear heels? Who wears heels to go bowling? Why is this so difficult? The never ending questions kept running through my head over and over again, as I glanced at my outfit choices gracing my bed provided by Sasha and Trinity. I didn’t think that this day would come, to where Joe and I would actually come together, as adults and just talk it out for once. The last time I got ready for something with Joe, was our prom which was actually worth going to in the end. Now that i think about it, it was the best night of my life.

{Flashback}

The year was 2003, his prom at Escambia High School to be exact, and the time was well spent. Two best friends taking on their last school dance together, matching in gold and black and just not caring about anyone else. My dress was an A-Line style with black lace over the golden tan slip like cover. It hugged my body just right and i couldn’t have been happier at that moment. Joe’s tie was stripped with the colors we picked, his suit only comprised of a gold vest: a white button up shirt, black slacks and black dress shoes. He looked so good and I couldn’t believe he was my best friend.

“Well, lookie, lookie here. Is that my best friend looking gorgeous?” Joe always had a way with words, even at 18. He placed a sweet kiss on my hand as we took pictures for our parents.

“Only because my date is a Samoan-Italian god who looks just as good. I gotta keep up with him.” I winked at him, before placing a delicate kiss on his cheek which caused him to blush.

I didn’t think I’d even be going to prom, let alone with the guy I’ve been secretly crushing on since the beginning. After the pictures were taken, and the dinner meet up with his friends at The Ruby Slipper, the dance was underway and it was truly magical. With the final slow dance of the night, I was in close proximity to his body as he swayed us both from side to side, to Saving All My Love. My heels were long gone by then and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it when he held me like this.

“You know, you are actually queen of the dance with me.” He whispered gently in my ear as I rested my head on his shoulder, smiling gently up at him with sincerity.

“You’d be amazing king, you know? I wanted you to win though.” I replied while my face heated up with a blush forming, if that was even possible given my complexion.

“Why thank you, Maya. But, wanna know something else?” He rested his head on mine, pulling me closer to him, as the song changed.

“What’s that?” I closed my hazel brown eyes to savor the moment, before opening them to look into his.

The best thing happened at that point. He held my face in his hands and kissed me gently, sending sparks through my body. I quickly returned the kiss to his lips, smiling against them. He was my first kiss, which made the night even better.

But from then on, things weren’t the same.

{End Flashback}

Thinking back to that moment in time, made me second guess this whole situation in general. Should I even go through with this little outing at all? Is it worth the heartache of our falling out with what happened after that kiss? He barely addressed it after that, so I figured that I’d help him get together with my college roommate at that time. Who is currently his wife, or soon to be ex wife from what his mother told me. I honestly thought they’d be together forever, but I guess time and distance wasn’t the best thing for them.

“I can’t do this. I’m canceling it.” I reached for my phone on the desk of my hotel room, but Trinity beat me to it. Damn she was quick.

“Uh uh. No ma’am. You’re going on this outing, even if your old feelings come out. Be a grown woman and face your fears.” She was always the voice of reason when it came to things like this.

“Seriously, come on now. I can’t- ouch!” I started off, till Sasha had thumped me in the head.

“Ouch! The hell was that for?” I pouted and rubbed my head.

“You’re going on this little thing that’s not a date. Come on now.” She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose

“But-” I was cut off again, but by Trinity this time.

“No. Don’t ‘but Trinity’ me. I know Joe, and he has been wanting to talk to you for some time now. Come on, please?” She did prove a valid point on how she knows him, being his cousin and all.

“I- fine. Fine, let’s get me beautified for bowling.” I sighed with a smile on my face, followed by a big group hug from the girls as they rummaged through my suitcase. To find me something to wear.

During the outfit hunt, my mind drifted back to another moment in time when Joe and I last were together in the same room, beforehand. It was back in college, around junior year, when things in our lives took a toll. From senior year of high school, I always knew that Joe had a certain type. Whether it was athletic, mysterious, au natural, curvy or nerdy, Joe had a type and it was athletic. So why didn’t he pursue me in school? Because I was stuck in the sibling zone, which took me years to get the courage to even get him to kiss me at prom but still. So with all of life passing us both by, the kiss was just a burned memory in my head. As his best friend it was my job to make sure he stayed happy at all times. So I did what I thought was right by setting him up with my roommate Galina.

At that time, I was only thinking of his happiness over my own, which I always did with everyone else, but I guess it was enough for him to shut me out of his life. I can’t keeping going back to that time in my life, when all I’ll do is start crying. I guess the reason we drifted was because we both realized that we didn’t need each other to be happy anymore, and yet that didn’t seem like to be the case right now. Snapping out of my daydreaming and back into reality, my phone went off by a text message.

From Joe:

Hey: are we still on for tonight, or no? If not, then it’s ok. We both have busy schedules anyway, and I was hoping I’d pick you up.

Should I even answer the text or leave him guessing? I should be more mature about this, because it’s not high school again. The girls were over my shoulders trying to sneak a peak.

“Answer the man!”

“Go on and stake your claim!”

And here I thought they’d tell me to keep him on his toes. Figures they’d want me to get my groove back. So I sat on my bed, biting my bottom lip in anticipation as I replied back, along with the hotel room number.

To Joe:

Yeah, we are, It’s room 213.The bowling alley on 4th street right?

I wasn’t so nervous after all, it would seem.  Curling my last loose curl, I smiled at my appearance that was simple yet flirty. If this was a real date, I’d still make a great impression. Naomi had picked out a pair of my Arizona black skinny jeans that fit the curves just right, along with the navy cold shoulder shirt that Saha grabbed for me. I just paired the whole thing together with a pair of Sperry’s, gold hoop earrings, a little necklace and light makeup. I looked ready to go for sure but, was I mentally ready? Hearing a text reply again, I grabbed it and blushed a bit.

From Joe:

The very same. Along with this little Italian gelato place that I know you’ll love. If I do remember correctly that someone love red velvet gelato.

Man he had a way with words, and just how to say them at the right time. Trying not squeal too hard with the girls, I replied back.

To Joe:

Well your memory is spot on. I do still love it. See you in 15 min?

From Joe: 

Well I wouldn’t say 15, I’d say 10 seconds

Ten seconds? What could he mean- my thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door, causing me to look through the peephole of the room door and saw the man that’s been in my dreams for decades, holding a single red rose. Oh he’s too good.

“Well you’re looking mighty sharp there, sir. Ready to get beat by a girl in bowling?” Trying to defuse the awkward tension, I tried to turn it into a little fun.

Upon accepting the rose, I grabbed my necessities and headed out the door, thanking Sasha and Trinity for watching the twins. Descending down the elevator, Joe got more comfy.

“You really think you can beat me in bowling? Baby girl, you’re going down.”

“Care to make a bet? If I win, you have to wear pink at your next match. ” I arched a brow at him as we walked towards his truck, cruising down the road next to him in the passenger’s seat.

“Fair enough. If I win, I get a kiss at the end of the night.” Joe was never shy about the things he wanted in life, why stop now?

I was stunned by his sudden end of the bargain, but nodded in fair play.

“Bring it on.”

Was I really gonna lose on purpose just to have him kiss me? Come on now, gotta have a little more faith in me. Although his lips do look good, hell they always looked good.

[onceuponanolicity]

Felicity and Oliver have to deal with the fallout of what has happened between them during the school year as it begins to end. 

                                                                                It took a few weeks, but Sara eventually returned to their table. Oliver glanced around for Felicity but didn’t spot her anywhere.

           “Where’s Felicity? Isn’t she coming?” Oliver found himself asking, only to want to shove his foot in his mouth afterwards.

           Tommy snorted from behind his history book. They had finals in two weeks and his friend was cramming for every test. Not that Oliver didn’t have the same problem, but his mind had been preoccupied by a small brunette who ran from him every time he spotted her in the hallways.

           “Not if you’re here,” Sara told him matter-of-factly. She grabbed her chocolate milk and nudged Tommy. “Open this, please. The way I feel right now I might rip it open and splash everyone.”

           “No problem, squirt.” Tommy snatched it from her hand and did as she asked before passing it back. “So, I never did get the full story. Who wants to tell me what the hell Oliver did to Felicity?”

           Oliver watched Tommy deliberately set his book to the side, while he crossed his arms on the table. Tommy stared at Oliver directly, waiting for an explanation. “Not a thing.”  

          “He treated her like a child in front of practically the whole school.” Sara’s glare penetrated Oliver. “She has been teased unmercifully the entire school year and Oliver thought the cherry on top would be complete and utter humiliation.” Sara reached out and shoved Oliver’s tray at him and Oliver had to grab his juice before it flung off into his lap. “She eats in the teacher’s lounge because of you.” When Sara raised her milk to her lips, he could swear she muttered, “Asshole.”

           “You didn’t. I thought it was just a rumor.” Tommy’s expression hardened. “I thought we were all friends. Why would you do that?”

           “Some friend he is,” Sara said and snorted. “You might as well have handed the girl a pacifier and asked if her diaper needed to be changed.”

           The thought of changing Felicity’s underwear made Oliver vastly uncomfortable and he squirmed in his seat. “I didn’t mean for that to happen.” Oliver met Tommy’s eyes. “I didn’t. If you had seen where that guy’s hands were you would have done the same thing.”

           “Not at the expense of Felicity, I wouldn’t,” Tommy told him. “I would have made sure the kid had his. But Felicity would not have been there.”

           “But he did.” Sara threw another glare in Oliver’s direction.

           “He did what?” Laurel swung her legs over the bench of the table where they sat.

           “Treated Felicity like a baby.”

           “Are we still talking about that?” Laurel waved her fork at her sister dismissively. “If that doesn’t prove how much of a child she is, nothing else will. It should’ve been forgotten by now. It wasn’t even that big of a deal.”  

           “Tell that to the people bullying her even more now than ever.” Sara shoved a bite of pizza in her mouth, her eyes throwing daggers at Oliver. If someone could chew with anger, Sara was doing a great job. “Great job, jackass.”

           “Don’t call my boyfriend that.”

           Oliver laid a hand over Laurel’s. “It’s okay. I deserve it.” Oliver turned back to Sara. “Can you tell Felicity I’m sorry? That if I could take it back I would? It’s just that guy had gone too far. Your own father would have killed him had he seen what I did.”

           “You don’t deserve to be forgiven.”

           Oliver glanced over at Tommy but his best friend only shook his head. Even he seemed to agree that he’d taken things too far this time. Shit. Oliver needed to find a way to fix this.

OQFSOQFSOQFS

           Felicity rushed out of her last final relieved that the school year was finally over. Now if only she could convince her mom that they should head back to Vegas. Anywhere really. So long as it wasn’t Starling City.

           In her rush, Felicity slid on the polished floor and ran into a brick wall. Okay, so a brick wall wasn’t usually covered in fabric. More like a human brick wall.

           She expected to find one of the football players in front of her. Instead when she raised her head, her eyes met the piercing blue ones of Oliver Queen. It wouldn’t matter if he wore a face mask, Felicity would recognize those eyes anywhere. She dreamed of them. Not that she’d ever admit to that. Lately, though they tended to fall into her nightmares. Even if they still managed to rescue her despite making her fall into the darkness to begin with.

           “Felicity.” His hands wrapped around the upper parts of her arms and Felicity hated to admit the skin to skin contact made her shiver a little. She knew she should have put on her short-sleeve cardigan over the matching tank she wore.

           “Um. Hi.”

           “Hello.” He smiled down at her. His white teeth stood out against his tanned skin.

           “Sorry I ran into you. I should’ve watched where I was going.”  

           “I’m glad you did.” Oliver released her and swung his backpack off his shoulder. Felicity was sure he’d set it down but instead he opened it and reached inside. He pulled out a baby blue box with a slim white ribbon. “I’m sorry, too. I was a jerk. I wanted to give you this. I know it’s not much or even a real apology for what I did, but I felt like I had to get you something.”

           Oliver held it out to her and gingerly Felicity accepted it. She could not think of anything to say. What she expected if she ever found herself in this moment was for her to rail at him. To give him a piece of her mind about the pain he caused her. Instead, he stood there completely apologetic giving her a gift. What was she supposed to do now?

           All decisions were taken from her when someone yelled his name from down the hall. Oliver smiled at her again before he kissed the top of her head. “I have to go. Last final. Wish me luck.”

           “Good luck,” she said, but he was already gone. Felicity’s hand shook as she held the box. It couldn’t be a Tiffany’s box, could it? No guy who was friends with someone would actually by them something from Tiffany’s, would he? Felicity examined the blue box in her hand. She had never seen a Tiffany’s box in real life and was trying to process the fact that it could be.

           Hesitantly, Felicity pulled at the ribbon. When she opened the box, her eyes transfixed on the elegant font of the word Tiffany’s that lay scrawled across the top of the box. Oh, frack. The ultra-rich must have different rules. Two earrings lay looped around a small velvet piece. With a gently finger, Felicity ran her finger across the pure golden metal. Never had she owned something so precious and valuable.

           A whistle sounded from next to her. Felicity quickly covered the gift and turned to find Tommy and Sara by her side.

           “Wow. 24K gold hoops. Sweet. Who are they from?” Tommy asked as he picked up Felicity’s bag from the floor where it had fallen when she had crashed into Oliver.

           “I bet Michael,” Sara said nudging Tommy. “But then, if I’m correct, that was a Tiffany’s box. And I’m never wrong about my blue boxes,” Sara said with a wink in Tommy’s direction, “which means that I don’t think Michael could afford that.”

           Felicity tugged her bag from Tommy’s hands and shoved the box inside. “My dad sent them,” Felicity lied. “I wasn’t supposed to open the box until finals were over.” She hated that she had to lie to her friends, but even she couldn’t understand why Oliver had given her such a treasured gift. Felicity was half tempted to pull Tommy to the side and ask if it was normal. He would seem to know more than anyone else. And he was also Oliver’s best friend. But what if it wasn’t normal? What if it meant something? Something she hadn’t pieced together yet? Felicity wasn’t ready to deal with that.

           “At least your father gets that you exist,” Tommy said with sadness lining his eyes.

           Felicity reached out to her friend. “I’m sure your father knows you do.”

           Tommy and Sara both snorted and laughed. It was almost in unison. Okay, so there was more to the Merlyn dynamic than she realized. But then she hadn’t had an opportunity to even go over to Tommy’s house. It wasn’t like they were that great of friends. More like mutual acquaintances who happened to share lunch. Was it so wrong that sometimes Felicity would like to know her friends a little more?

           “So,” Tommy said breaking into Felicity’s thoughts, “I’m thinking now that we all finished, we should all grab shakes to celebrate. My treat.” Tommy threw his arms over Sara and Felicity’s shoulders. “You can’t say no because then I’ll think I lost all of my Tommy Merlyn charm.”

           Felicity nodded when Sara said yes. Maybe the summer would erase the memories of what happened over the last part of the school year. If that was true, then Felicity wouldn’t feel the need to leave Starling City. And that it would be nice to finally have real friends for the first time in her life. Ones that might just stick around despite how young and smart she was. Ones that might actually like her for being her. Ones that she never dreamed she would get the first day she walked into Starling City High School.

OQFSOQFSOQFS

           The summer had been one she would remember for the rest of her life. Felicity and Sara had almost grown inseparable. And Tommy had been there right along with them, when he wasn’t hanging out with Oliver. Neither girl blamed him. In fact they often laughed at the antics that Tommy told them about the second he returned to their sides. One of Felicity’s favorites was when Tommy and Oliver driven down to UCLA, picked up a couple of actresses and ended up drunk south of the border without a car because the women were con artists. By the time Tommy’s car had been recovered by the police, it was bright pink.

           Now she sat here and stared at the group of friends she had made. They were all laughing and sharing jokes on the beach. With a glance down at the large t-shirt covering her bathing suit, Felicity realized she still somehow didn’t fit in, despite their inclusion. The group in front of her were much more mature, some of the guys’ jokes excluded. But it was more than mental, it was physical. Felicity’s own body development had been going quite slowly. And she noticed it more and more each day.

           “Why are you over here?”

           Tommy’s question startled her. She hadn’t even noticed he moved away from the group, let alone approached her. “Just thinking.”

           “That could be disastrous for us or the world. Which is it?” Tommy teased and smiled as he sat down next to her on the large piece of driftwood.

           “I’m not thinking about landing a helicopter on the Starling City Rockets field in the middle of a game like some people,” Felicity said with her own smile. He and Oliver had pulled that prank only last week.

           Tommy held up his hands in defense. “Hey, there was not one thought behind that. Ollie and I just wanted a better vantage point to view the game.”

           “And your box tickets weren’t good enough?”

           “When you can be in the middle of the game?” Tommy asked with a grin. “No way!”

           Felicity smacked at his shoulder. “You’re incorrigible. Which girl were you trying to impress with that stunt anyway?”

           Tommy did his best to look shocked while he held a hand to his heart. Hurt, but not really. “You weren’t impressed? My plan failed.”

           This time Felicity hit him harder with her balled up fist and he grimaced. “Please. Like I even come on the Richter Scale of Merlyn probability.”

           Tommy’s face turned serious. “Not yet. I think in a few years Ollie and I will be falling all over ourselves trying to get your attention.” He smiled at her softly. “By then, you’ll be too smart, too successful and too busy to even acknowledge us lesser beings, let alone have the time to deal with our bullshit.”

           “Whatever,” Felicity said with a roll of her eyes.

           “How did your SATs go?” Tommy asked her. “Didn’t you take them on Tuesday?”  

           “Still waiting on the results. I can’t afford to pay people to give me results right away.”

           “Say the word and my money is yours.” Tommy wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “I bet you get a perfect score. You didn’t come out of your apartment for weeks studying. I told Ollie we would have knocked down your door if you didn’t show your face soon.”

           “Like Oliver cares.” She had barely seen him all summer. It was like he purposely avoided her. Somehow he showed up to all the parties she didn’t attend. And if they did go to the same place, he would barely nod in acknowledgement. The only time the two of them spoke all summer was the two times Tommy forced them into it. But the second their mutual friend left, silence descended upon them and they went their separate ways, desperate to end the uncomfortable tension that landed upon their shoulders.

           “You’d be surprised.” Tommy rose and held out his hand to help Felicity up. “C’mon. We’re missing the party.”

           Felicity spent the rest of the day with a smile on her face. Tommy made it his personal goal to make sure she continued to have fun despite his attempt to catch the interest of Clara Davies, a cheerleader who came with Chuck Crofton to the party. He and Sara had broken up halfway through the summer but had remained friends and this was the first time they had both come with separate dates to the same party.

           Newcomers arrived just as Tommy announced a catered dinner had been delivered. Felicity’s eyes met Oliver’s over the fire that Michael had started for them. And Felicity was pretty sure Oliver was the reason that Michael’s hand found hers.

           “What’s for dinner?” Laurel asked as she found an empty seat next to Tommy. “I’m starving. Ollie insisted that we go sailing with his dad. All that ocean air has my stomach growling.”

           “You could’ve come to the party,” Oliver told her. “You were the one that said you had to come along.”

           Oliver nudged Sara over so that he could sit between her and Laurel. Bob Jenkins, the new guy Sara was seeing patted his lap and Sara rose enough to slide on top. That earned her a glare from her sister, but Sara stuck her tongue out and plopped a grape into Bob’s mouth.

           As much as the sisters drove each other crazy, Felicity sometimes wished that she had a sibling to share things with. It seemed nice to have someone you could always count on. Felicity chose to ignore the bickering and jealousy aspects because it wasn’t always in play. Even Oliver had a sister to share with. Even if she was so much younger.

           “How’s Thea?” Felicity spoke up. She might as well break the tension first.

           “She’s great.” Oliver smiled over at her, his eyes held an edge of relief. “I’ll tell her you asked about her.”

           “She still at that horse camp?” Tommy asked as he piled food onto a plate.

           Oliver laughed and nodded. “She doesn’t want to come home. Dad paid for an extra week already.”

           “Glad she’s having fun,” Tommy told him and handed the plate to Laurel. “Bon appetite.”

           “Thanks, Tommy.” Laurel forked a bite of quiche into her mouth and groaned. “Ollie, you have to try this. It’s amazing.”

           “It really is,” Felicity chimed in, drawing Oliver’s gaze back to her, which wasn’t why she said it. Honestly, she had just been agreeing with Laurel.

           Laurel held out a bite of the food to Oliver and his mouth dutifully closed around it. Which shouldn’t have bothered Felicity at all, except for the fact that his eyes never once wavered from hers during the whole thing. When he licked a crumb from his lips, Felicity couldn’t help but lick her own lips. Frack! Puberty sucked. And crushes weren’t much better.

           “I’m going to grab a soda,” Felicity told Michael as she shook off his hand and rose. The cooler was a few feet away and Felicity needed a second to regain her composure.

           “Can you grab Ollie and I some sparkling water while you’re up?” Laurel asked. “This is super rich.”

           “Sure.” Why not? The whole point was to get away from Oliver Queen. Not to get close enough to hand him a drink.

           The cooler was super cold but most of the ice had melted. And after a day in the sun, drinks were limited. Felicity reached inside the frigid water to retrieve the drinks but almost screamed when a warm hand cupped the shoulder that had become bare because her shirt was so large it slipped to the side.

           “It’s fine. It’s only me, Felicity,” Oliver told her quietly from behind her.

           Felicity straightened, the soda and waters forgotten. Turning, she faced him. “You shouldn’t sneak up on someone like that.”

           “Sorry,” he said with a lopsided grin. “I just didn’t think it was right for Laurel to ask you to get our drinks.”

           “Why not? I was already getting one.” Which was exactly the opposite of what Felicity had been thinking only few minutes ago.

           “Or, maybe, I wanted a second alone.”

           “Oh! Okay.” Felicity realized what he meant. “I’ll grab my soda and let you have time to yourself.” Felicity circled back to the cooler and quickly grabbed her soda. “All yours.”

           Oliver’s hand on her wrist stopped her from walking away. “I think you mistook what I said. I wanted a second alone with you.”

           “Why?” Felicity stared up at him confused. After avoiding her all summer long he chose this moment to do a one-eighty? It didn’t make any sense.

           He stepped closer. His eyes were shining with some sort of intent but Felicity was still a newbie on the whole boy/girl interaction thing. Especially when puberty was still so new to her. Leave it to Felicity to be a late bloomer. It was one of the few frustrations Felicity shared with her mother.

           “I wanted to tell you that what happened earlier this year, it won’t happen again. I can’t apologize enough for what I did.” Oliver reached out and flicked the good hoops that Felicity had forgotten she had put in her ears. “Did you have a good summer?”  

           “Yes.” Felicity realized how breathy her answer was and she cleared her throat. “It was great.”

           “I’m glad. Are you ready for school in two weeks?”

           Felicity shrugged. She hadn’t given it much thought. “Mom and I have yet to go school shopping.”

           The last thing Felicity wanted was to admit that she and her mom had been putting every spare bit they had in a jar so she could get school supplies. If Felicity was lucky, she might actually be able to afford a new top or two at the local thrift shop in addition to all the things she needed.

           “I promised to take my little sister to the mall next week. She needs some new shoes before heading back. Do you want to come with us? You can pick up a few things while we are out.”

           “I… uh…” Felicity didn’t know how to tell him that she couldn’t even begin to afford the stuff at the mall. Let alone try to figure out why he was singling her out for such an offer.

           “I’m sure Thea would love the company.”

           Well, that explained that. Oliver believed that Felicity would be the perfect company for his younger sister. Which explained his attitude from earlier in the year. He honestly believed that she would be friends with his little sister. “I’ll have to check with my mom.”  

           “Do you want me to ask her?” Sad part was that Oliver actually seemed serious. Like that wouldn’t be embarrassing at all. Her mom had already caught on that Felicity had a humongous crush on Oliver, even if she had never seen him.

           “No,” Felicity said with a shake of her head. “I’ll do it.”

           “Ollie, are you coming back?” Laurel called out. “Your dinner is getting cold.”  

           Oliver jerked a finger over his shoulder. “I guess I better get back.”

           “Of course.” Felicity watched him begin to walk away when it dawned on her that he never retrieved the drinks. “Wait!”

           He turned back to her with a question stare. Felicity quickly grabbed the last two sparkling waters and ran up to give them to him. “You forgot these.”

           “Thanks.” Oliver accepted the drinks and gave her a heart-warming, panty-melting smile. Damn him.

           Felicity circled back to the cooler and dropped in her soda to get a colder one before closing the lid. Yeah, puberty was not going to be her friend by the looks of things.

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