And What Seems but Idle Show...
Word Count: 1436

Notes: Okay, this is a gift for all my lovely readers on AO3. Thanks to them, Titles now has over 1,000 hits! Thanks guys! :)

This is an old piece that I wrote for other reasons, but it's a little different. It's a season one AU that actually features Tommy that I wrote at the end of last year. The title comes from a poem called "The Builders" from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Anyway, reviews are always loved and appreciated, if you'd be so kind. :) If you have more important things to do, thanks for reviewing!

Also, to the anonymous reviewer who said that he/she didn't understand the use of the word "babble" in paragraph three: According to the wise and powerful , the word babble means "to talk idly, irrationally, excessively, or foolishly; chatter or prattle." Felicity's thought is incoherent, therefore the word "babble" is perfectly usable in this sense. Next time, please fact-check before you send me a criticism; it took me maybe two minutes to quote this. And, also, I'm sorry if this sounds a little curt, but people using anonymous reviews to point out things like this bother me. If you had logged in, I could have sent you a PM you about this and it would have taken me a lot less time. That is also why I'm exercising my right to delete your anonymous review.

It's just after five when Oliver and Tommy enter Verdant together. As always, they are in the middle of discussing things that should be done to help promote the club, to gain new clientele, to keep things running smoothly. It had been difficult for Oliver to convince Tommy to stay on after he realized Oliver was the Vigilante, but they finally came to an understanding about the whole issue. After Oliver noted some of the criminals he stopped, Tommy realized that, just maybe, Oliver isn't such a bad guy after all. As always they've reconciled, and Tommy is glad to have his best friend back.

They just barely make it into the club together when a pretty blonde pops through the door behind the bar that leads to the offices. She's in a pretty blue dress that most likely doesn't sport a designer label, hair pulled back in a ponytail. Her blue eyes are obscured behind square, amber-and-black glasses, and her lips are painted a wild, daring fuchsia shade. She has a tablet in her hands, and she's looking at it instead of the club.

"Oliver, I—" she starts, then she stops as she realizes Tommy is there. She takes a moment to gather her thoughts before saying, "I'm interrupting. Sorry." She motions behind her to the door. "I'll just—"

Tommy is a bit stunned by the random bout of babbling—as well as by how pretty she is—but Oliver seems more with her babbles. "No, it's fine," he assures her, and Tommy notes the smallest hint of a smile on his best friend's face. It's genuine, unlike many he offers these days. He quickly makes introductions between the two. "Felicity, this is Tommy Merlyn. Tommy, Felicity Smoak." He doesn't offer more explanation for how he knows either of them, but Oliver is a little more laconic these days.

Felicity does a cute little wave before saying, "Nice to meet you, Tommy." She turns her attention back to Oliver then, and Tommy sees her shoot him some sort of questioning glance before saying anything more.

It doesn't mean anything to Tommy, but it does to Oliver. "It's cool," he assures her. "Tommy knows."

The polite smile from before becomes genuine. "Welcome to Team Arrow," she says, and this time she seems to mean it.

Tommy shoots a glance at his best friend. "Seriously?" he asks Oliver, too quietly for Felicity to hear. Is Oliver telling his secret to every pretty girl in a skirt these days? Or is Tommy just the last to know?

As he's wont to do these days, though, Oliver ignores him. His attention hasn't left Felicity since she entered the room. "What did you find on James Carmichael?" he asks her.

She takes a minute to shoot a skeptical glance at Tommy and to open something on her tablet before answering. "Quite a bit, actually," she answers. "Apparently, he likes to smuggle goods, especially weapons." She looks up at Oliver. "And apparently, he doesn't like it when people try to stop him. The FBI believes he's responsible for the deaths of one plainclothes officer and two undercover officers. He's smart, though, so most of the evidence they have is circumstantial." She shudders. "By the way? Crime scene photos—just ew. He likes to use knives. Not pretty."

Tommy gapes at her, cutting Oliver off before he can speak. "How did you get into FBI records?" he asks.

She gives him this look like he's a kid who said something cute. "It's absolutely adorable that you think those are unhackable," she says with a haughty smile that he's not sure he likes. "If it connects to the Internet, I can hack it," she says, putting a hand on one hip.

Tommy grins at her, the same one that has gotten him in many a girl's bed before. "Pretty and smart," he says to her. "That's a rare combination."

She flushes a bit at the praise, but Oliver cuts in before it can go any further. "No," he says to Tommy abruptly, and Felicity looks just as stunned as Tommy feels. "You are not flirting with my IT girl." The 'my' isn't emphasized, but it might as well be; the stony mask is well in place, but there's something feral and possessive in his eyes. Tommy's never seen him like this before.

Felicity responds well to it, just rolling her eyes. "Oliver," she says, sounding mildly irritated, "I know you haven't exactly noticed this, but, while I'm not a leggy model or gorgeous Laurel, I am, in fact, a girl."

Oliver nods his head, and there's a quirk to his mouth again. "Actually, I have noticed that," he corrects, and something in his tone suggests that he's not entirely displeased with what he's seen. Actually, Tommy thinks he's a little too quick to jump in.

Felicity must notice because she flushes, but she barrels on as if he's said nothing at all. "It's crazy," she continues, while laying the tablet on the bar so that she can use both hands to make wild gestures, "I know, but, on occasion, a guy has been known to flirt with me." Before Oliver can speak, she holds up a hand to stop him. Tommy thinks that alone is impressive; few people would dare to silence Oliver Queen, especially if they knew he was the Vigilante.

She turns back to Tommy with a sweet smile. "And, Tommy, while I appreciate the compliment, if you're trying to worm your way into a date... Well, I spend my nights with one billionaire playboy, and I certainly don't want to make it two." She seems to realize how that could be construed, shaking her head wildly, closing her eyes in annoyance with herself. "And that didn't come out right, but you both know what I meant."

She shakes her head, throwing her hands around wildly again. "Anyway, we just went wildly off-subject. The point of me walking up here was to tell you, Oliver, that when ever you're ready to—" She cuts off to mime shooting an arrow in that lovely, dorky, charmingly awkward way she seems to have. "—I have an address and blueprints for you."

Oliver's smile is more pronounced this time, and had he been anyone else, Tommy is sure he would have laughed. "First of all," he says, and his eyes sparkle in the way they used to five years ago, back when he would tease Tommy and actually mean it, "your archery form needs some serious work."

Felicity cuts him off. "Are you kidding me?" she huffs, crossing her arms. "I'm not actually shooting a bow. And I'm in four-inch heels, for God's sake!"

A breathy huff that might count as chuckling leaves Oliver, but other than that, he continues as though she hasn't spoken. "Second, thank you, Felicity." This time, the statement is sincere.

She smiles and says, "You're welcome, Oliver." Something passes between them that Tommy can't quite read, and by the time he notices it, she's already offering him a completely awkward wave. "Nice to meet you, Tommy," she adds before walking back the way she came.

Tommy feels completely overwhelmed after the whole encounter, but when he finally regains the ability to speak, he says, "Wow."

Oliver agrees to Tommy's poorly worded thought with a laconic, "Yeah." Perhaps Tommy is imagining it, but he thinks there's a level of fondness and—possibly—admiration in his tone that is uncharacteristic of Oliver.

"I don't think I've ever been shut down that fast—or efficiently, for that matter," he tries again, only half-joking. Sure, even he has been turned down a time or two, but never so well.

"She doesn't hesitate to speak her mind," Oliver agrees, still staring at the door she left through.

Tommy backhands Oliver's shoulder playfully. "But, man, she is hot," he says finally, still unsure what to make of her personality.

Oliver turns to him then, giving him a steely glare that resembles one he gave Tommy after he said Thea was attractive. "And I will never talk to her again," he finishes quickly, trying to keep himself off the list of people that get arrows tonight.

Oliver gives him a satisfied expression before changing the topic back to Verdant.