Author's Note: So this little piece is a result from a prompt I received on Tumblr forever ago. It was originally a one-shot that then turned into a three-parter. I already have this posted on AO3 in a series format, but since that's not an option here I'm just going to post it as a quick little three-chapter story. I hope you all enjoy it!

(Oh, and just for reference Felicity is 18 while Oliver is 21. Only a three year difference this time around.)

...

Step One: Admit You Have a Problem

Felicity Merlyn has a problem. A six foot, one inch problem with chiseled abs and sandy blonde hair. His name is Oliver Queen and he's her older brother Tommy's best friend.

It's a total cliché, she's well aware and honestly she even judges herself sometimes for it. Oliver isn't exactly a good guy. He parties, a lot. He gets in trouble with the law and drops schools like they're yesterday's newspaper. He also has quite a reputation with women. Well, at least he used to. Lately Oliver's been pretty clean.

The point is he's the exact opposite of Felicity's type.

Only she's insanely attracted to him. So much so that she kissed Oliver last night. Well, kissed is sort of an understatement. Heavily made out with him in the sand is a more adequate description.

It was a stupid move, so incredibly stupid. So why is she still thinking about it?

It's the twentieth annual Queen-Merlyn family beach vacation and the kids – that being Oliver, his younger sister Thea, Tommy, and herself – had come up a few days earlier than the adults. Obviously this meant that Tommy and Oliver were going to throw a huge rager at their multi-million dollar beach mansion – not house, mansion – the second night they were there. And that they did.

The party was in full swing. People were throwing each other in the pool, the bass from the music was vibrating the stone patio if that were even possible, and tons of sweaty bodies writhed against each other under the influence of alcohol and probably more than one illegal substance. Most of the partygoers were people Tommy and Oliver had invited and around the same age as them, twenty-two, save for Felicity and Thea at their respective ages of eighteen and seventeen. No one seemed to care though as a red Solo cup was shoved into each of their hands.

Things went on as expected for about the first hour and a half of the party. Thea and Felicity sipped their drinks and danced to the beat of the music together, goofing off and enjoying not having a care in the world for the time being. And seeing as their worlds were pretty complicated, it was a much-needed reprieve. Then a boy in a red hoodie who looked like he was sculpted by the Abercrombie gods started flirting with Thea and that was the end of that.

Felicity didn't mind, honestly. She was starting to get overwhelmed by the atmosphere anyway, could feel the alcohol buzzing in her system and new she would need to take a break soon or risk facing the wrath of Big Brother. So when Thea had asked Felicity if she minded her accepting Abercrombie's invitation to dance, Felicity had wholeheartedly urged her on, which is how she ended up walking down the beach and stumbling upon one very attractive, surprisingly alone Oliver Queen.

"Hey, I heard there's a huge party going on back that way. Lots of booze, lots of girls. Sounds like your kind of scene."

At the sound of her voice, Oliver shifts his gaze from the foaming edges of the sea to the blonde walking towards where he's seated in the sand. A genuine smile spreads across his face as he beckons for Felicity to join him.

"Yeah, thought I might check it out a little later. What are you doing down here?"

"Oh you know, just getting some fresh air."

She leaves out the part where his little sister left to grind with some guy. Probably not what he wants to hear about.

"What about you? Isn't it rude for the host to leave his own party?"

"Probably. But when has that ever stopped me before?"

"Point."

Felicity takes a seat beside him, careful not to get too close. There's no telling what she'll do with a little liquid courage in her.

They sit in silence for a few minutes; both of them content to watch the rolling and breaking of waves on the California coast. The sounds of the ocean lull them into a sense of calm and security, the scent of the sea carried on the breeze.

It's Oliver who breaks the silence.

"Laurel's here."

"Oh."

So that's why he's avoiding the party.

"I don't… It's not that I want to get back together with her or that I'm jealous of her and Tommy. It's just… I'm realizing that who I was with her is not who I want to be anymore and seeing her, it reminds me of how much I've screwed up."

Wow. Okay, she was not expecting that. At all.

"Am I a bad person, Felicity? Be honest."

Felicity studies his profile, trying to discern if he's only saying this because he's been drinking or if it comes from a genuine place. To her surprise, he appears almost completely sober and a glance down at his hand reveals that he's holding a water bottle, not a glass of beer like she had expected to find.

"No. No, you're not a bad person, Oliver. You've just made some mistakes, that's all."

He turns to look at her, blue meeting blue like the tides before them.

"I've fucked up so much of my life. I don't know where to start putting it back together."

"People make mistakes. It happens. What's important is you acknowledge that and learn from them. I don't think you're as irredeemable as you believe yourself to be."

His gaze is captivating, a whirlwind of emotions that sucks her in, beckons to her to come closer like a siren's song. Without realizing it she begins to lean in, gaze flickering down to his mouth for the briefest of seconds before returning to his face, only to find Oliver doing the same.

"You really believe that?"

His voice is deeper than it was a second ago and posses an edge that has Felicity shivering for reasons that have nothing to do with the chilly ocean breeze. In fact, the shiver strikes a heat in her, sends her heart racing as she moves closer still.

"Yeah, I do."

And then in what is probably the stupidest move she's ever made, Felicity surges forward to press her mouth against Oliver's.

At first she freezes against him in shock at her own actions. She just kissed Oliver Queen, a guy four years older than her, a guy who is her older brother's best friend. For someone with a genius IQ, this really was an idiotic idea.

But then something happens that makes any form of coherent thought impossible. He kisses her back.

Threading his fingers through the hair at the back of her head, Oliver changes the angle of the kiss. It's deeper, more sensual and Felicity's toes curl in the sand at the sensation. Eager for more, she presses forward, parting her lips when his tongue begs for entrance. A groan leaves Oliver's mouth and it sends a thrill through Felicity that only serves to further her enthusiasm.

Somehow she ends up in his lap, straddling Oliver as his mouth breaks away from hers and trails down her jawline to the delicate expanse of her neck. Running her hands through his newly cropped hair, Felicity pulls Oliver closer to her and moans in approval when he sucks at her sensitive flesh. He bites and tastes and laves his tongue over the area until she's sure it's bruised, the rough feel of his stubble against her skin heightening the sensation. With a wet pop, he releases the skin, groaning as Felicity dips her head to return the favor.

"We shouldn't be doing this."

She would be concerned if he didn't practically growl the words at her while tightening his grip on her waist to pull her further into his lap.

"No, we shouldn't."

Their mouths meet once again, furiously pressing against each other as their hands wander.

"You're Tommy's little sister."

His hands wander to her ass and squeeze.

"You're Thea's older brother."

Hers slip beneath the hem of Oliver's Polo to run across his defined torso.

"I'm bad for you."

His hips jerk up into hers, causing them both to moan into each other's mouths.

"I don't care."

And it might have gone further had it not been for the whooping and hollering of drunken college kids a couple yards in the distance.

The ocean might as well have come up the shore and crashed down on them. Felicity scrambles off of Oliver's lap at a speed even she didn't know she possessed. They stare at each other, wide-eyed and unmoving, like deer caught in headlights. Neither one of them knows exactly what to make of what just happened.

Unknowingly, Felicity lifts a hand to her mouth, gently running her fingers over kiss-swollen lips. Oliver's eyes track the motion before quickly looking away.

"I, uhm, better go back to the party before Tommy starts worrying."

"That's a good idea."

"I'll… see you later?"

The words come out more as a question than a statement because honestly, she wouldn't be surprised if he spent the rest of this vacation avoiding her like the plague.

"Yeah."

"Okay, then."

The sting of tears behind her eyes has Felicity quickly turning on her heel and striding towards the house.

The tears start falling before she even makes it back.

So why does all of this matter? It matters because now she's sitting across from Oliver at dinner with both of their families, trying to avoid eye contact at all costs. And people are starting to notice that something's off. Thea has already given Felicity a weird look more than once and Tommy actually asked if she was feeling okay. If the ground opened up and swallowed her hole she would be forever grateful.

"Felicity, darling, are you sure you're alright? You've barely touched your food."

The blonde glances at Moira Queen sitting diagonal from her and manages a small, placating smile.

"I'm fine. Just had a big lunch and a few too many snacks is all."

It's a lie. She hasn't eaten all day.

"Oh, well then maybe you and Oliver would like to take some of the plates into the kitchen and start cleaning since you both seem to be finished."

Felicity tries her best not to startle at the sound of his name, but can't help the quick flicker of her eyes from mother to son and then back again.

"I can do it. It's fine. Oliver doesn't have to help. I'm sure he has other things he would rather be doing."

"No, I don't have anything planned. I can help you."

Why, oh, why does he insist on helping? Isn't it pretty clear she's embarrassed enough without being in close proximity to him? She would think he'd jump at the chance to not be near her.

"Wonderful. Thank you, sweetheart."

They go about collecting a few empty dishes off the table, the clink of silverware mixing with the conversation of those gathered in the large dining room overlooking the sea. Felicity doesn't glance at Oliver once as they head for the kitchen, making a beeline for the sink as soon as she steps through the door.

"You can leave the plates on the counter. I'll rinse them and put them in the dishwasher."

Please just go away.

"Felicity."

"Seriously, it's fine. It won't take me that long."

She flicks on the facet and grabs the first plate, scrubbing furiously at it with the soapy sponge.

"Felicity."

"There aren't even that many dishes yet. Maybe five minutes top. You're good."

"Felicity!"

The sudsy serving plate almost slips from her hands at the forcefulness of his voice. She gently places it at the bottom of the sink and braces her hands on the counter, eyes screwed shut.

"What?"

"Look at me."

She doesn't, can't. The humiliation from last night flares back up, tears pricking her eyes.

"What do you want, Oliver? I'm sorry, okay? It was a mistake. We were drinking. It happens."

"I wasn't drunk."

Her body stiffens as Felicity feels him come closer, stepping up behind her. She refuses to turn around.

"Okay. You weren't drunk. I was."

No she wasn't. Tipsy, maybe. Drunk, no.

"No you weren't."

Damn it.

Sighing, Felicity shakes her head and allows it to hang dejectedly.

"What do you want, Oliver?"

"In a word? You."

An involuntary shudder rakes through her at his reply, slight arousal mixing with stunned surprise. Oliver takes another step closer and cages her in, hands landing just outside of Felicity's on the counter as he gently presses his chest against her back.

"Truth is, I've wanted you for awhile now. And not just for your body. You're remarkable, Felicity, mind, body, and soul. I've never come across anyone quite like you and now that I've tasted what it's like to have you, I can't get it out of my mind."

By the end of his confession, Oliver's head has fallen to rest against the back of hers. The feel of his hot breath against the back of her neck coupled with his confession has Felicity trembling, fighting desperately for control.

This whole time she thought it had been a drunken accident, a horrible mistake on her part. To know that he can't get their encounter on the beach out of his memory either is… it's game changing.

"Oliver? Felicity? Everything alright in there?"

With a frustrated sigh, Oliver distances himself from her, but not before placing a tender kiss on the back of her neck, left bare by her high ponytail. Even that brief moment of contact is enough to send Felicity's body reeling as blood rushes through her veins.

"Yeah, Mom, everything is fine!"

She can feel his gaze burning into her skin even as Oliver answers Moira's enquiry and she can't help shifting a little on her feet.

"Felicity, you don't have to say anything right now. But I needed to make sure that you know this isn't one sided. I was as much a participant in what happened last night as you were. So just… think about it, okay? I'm going to check if there are anymore plates that need to be cleared."

She listens to the sound of his retreating footsteps, chancing a glance in Oliver's direction just as he exits the room. With a sigh she shakes her head and grabs the abandon dish from the bottom of the sink, returning to her previous task in hopes of distraction as she whispers to herself.

"Pull it together. He's only going to cause you trouble."

Felicity Merlyn has a problem and his name is Oliver Queen.