The Way We Talk

Moody (Talkative #10)

Even though Roy hasn't been on the team all that long, he has learned how some of the things work in Team Arrow—as Felicity calls it, and as he calls it in his head just because he knows Oliver doesn't like it.  The last thing anyone wants to be is the bearer of bad news to Oliver because he's so... intimidating when he's not pretending.  The saying don't shoot the messenger is more likely to be ignored when the news darkens his mood.

Fortunately for Roy, he's been around long enough to know that if he does come around with bad news, he should either tell it to Oliver over a long distance, or—best option—he should tell Felicity.  It's one of the reasons Roy originally thought the two were dating:  Felicity always seems to be the one who can get through to Oliver.  She's not afraid to stand up to him, which either be amusing or end horribly.

That's why he stops off at the lair at a time when he knows Oliver is upstairs at Verdant with Thea—and when he knows Felicity is downstairs.  He's a little surprised when he sees her chair empty, but then he notices the movement of blonde ponytail just above the chair's seat.  His eyes narrow when he sees her in the floor with a screwdriver, legs folded under her, the guts of one of the computer... things exposed.  His news is forgotten as he asks, "What are you doing down there?"

She doesn't seem surprised by his question or his presence, as she doesn't even take the time to look up at him.  "I'm currently rewiring this circuit board, since it decided to quit on me today."  His eyebrows shoot up in surprise because her usually cheery tone is replaced by a terse edge.  As if answering his unspoken question, she adds, "It also happens to be one of only a few things that really get me in a bad mood.  Which, by the way, you boys in this"—she waves a hand—"sea of testosterone should be grateful for because PMS does not make that list."

Roy cringes at that reference, but then remembers why he's talking to her in the first place, so he takes a seat on the floor next to her.  He takes the Oliver approach and continues as though she hasn't said anything.  "I wanted to talk to you about something," but he stops abruptly when he sees that look she's giving him.

Her glasses have managed to slip down her nose, so she looks up at him over them, giving him an expression that clearly reads, Are you freaking kidding me?  She pushes her glasses up before saying, "Did you not just hear me?  Circuit boards, bad mood—not done yet?  Before you start this, you need to ask yourself two questions:  'Do I really need to say this?'  And, 'Do I really need to say this right now?'  If the answer to either or both of those is no, then you need to walk away."

He thinks about it for a minute, but then he decides to go along with it, though the conversation is quickly approaching I'd-rather-talk-to-Oliver territory—which is something that has never happened before, especially not with Felicity.  "Thea told me that she knows you work for the Vigilante," he says finally. "And she's been trying to keep you and Oliver apart for a few weeks now, apparently.  She doesn't want you dragging Oliver into Arrow business."

Felicity snorts.  "Old news," she assures him in that terse tone, not looking up this time.  "She made that clear when she got kidnapped by Helena and asked me to involve the Arrow in code."

"Helena?" Roy repeats blankly.

Felicity waves a hand dismissively.  "Helena Bertinelli—or Oliver's 'psycho ex-girlfriend,' as Diggle calls her."  She looks up for a minute, her expression thoughtful and appraising as she mulls over her last sentence.  "Though I do find myself using that phrase a lot."

"Find yourself using what phrase?" asks neither of them, and Roy turns his head to find Oliver bounding down the stairs.  He looks at the two of them for a minute, turning toward Roy first. 

Even though Oliver's movements are silent, Felicity doesn't seem surprised by his question or his presence.  "Your 'psycho ex-girlfriend,' in relation to Helena," she repeats in a nice show of bravery.  "We somehow got on that topic from—oh, yeah, we were talking about Thea."

Instead of asking about their seating arrangements, he instead sits in Felicity's computer chair, and Roy winces for the mistake he just made.  "What about Thea?" Oliver tries again, oblivious to what happens to those who dare sit in her computer chair.  (It was the first lesson Roy learned after being officially inducted into Team Arrow.)

"If you touch the seat adjustments on my chair again, Oliver," she starts in a very dark tone that rivals Oliver's Arrow voice, "I swear I'll destroy your office computers beyond repair."  Her tone returns almost to normal as she continues, "And we were talking about Thea knowing I work for Arrow-you.  She's apparently trying to keep me from drawing skirt-chasing-billionaire-you into Arrow business."

It takes Roy all he has to keep his expression neutral, but Oliver isn't so capable.  His eyebrows narrow in anger, but one corner of his mouth curls upward in something akin to a smile.  (Roy knows that expression well because Felicity often elicits it.)  "Excuse me?" he asks, his voice taking on a darker tone.

Felicity continues on as though he hasn't spoken.  "Of course, she never stopped to think that maybe you pulled me into Arrow business when you decided to crawl into the backseat of my car, shot and bleeding."

"Best decision I've ever made," he says in a tone that Roy believes to be sincere.  This is exactly the reason that Roy thought the two were dating; something about Felicity's presence... mellows Oliver, despite what mood she's in.  Felicity's back is to him, so Oliver probably doesn't see the smile that graces her face for a moment, despite her bad mood.

Oliver finally asks the question Roy's been waiting for all evening:  "What are you doing in the floor?"  Though the question could easily apply to Roy, it's clearly aimed only at Felicity.  It seems that everything Oliver says these days is aimed at Felicity.

She doesn't look up as she says, "This computer decided to be a jerk, so now I'm rewiring this circuit board."

The change in Oliver's expression is slow, giving Roy enough time to enjoy the comical change.  Oliver's eyes widen as the smile slips from his face, and the resulting expression almost resembles fear.  Abruptly, he's out of the chair and on the other side of the desk from her.  "I'll be in the training area," he assures her, moving more quickly than Roy has ever seen him.

At his bewildered expression, Felicity only says, "I told you this puts me in a horrible mood.  He's smart enough to make a tactical retreat.  And yet here you sit."  The last sentence is said in warning, as if he should leave quickly.

Roy rises this time, but takes the time to say, "You know, he would probably buy you a new computer for down here.  You wouldn't have to do this repair and all."

Her only answer before he walks away is, "It's a matter of pride now."  Roy knows when he's defeated so he moves quickly away, back toward the training mats where he's sure to get his ass kicked several times by Oliver.

But it seems like a much better option than standing around a very irritated Felicity.