Story of Us – Arrow – Ep6
“Hey! Just the man I wanted to see!” Tommy said as he walked through the door and almost into Oliver, “I just picked up a new sports car and I’m thinking we can open her up, pick up a few tickets…”
“That sounds great,” Oliver interrupted with a slight smile, “but something’s come up. I gotta jet.”
“Oh…uh, ok,” he stammered, “Nice talk…thanks.”
And with that, he was out the door, leaving Tommy standing with his mouth hanging open again. Ever since that day in Oliver’s room, Oliver had been avoiding him. A part of it was his fault, he knew. He never clarified his statement about Laurel, but so many things had gone from bad to worse in a matter of minutes that he’d never had a chance.
Declaration Interuptus
Thea had stormed into Oliver’s room, screaming at her mother over her shoulder about how she hated her. Oliver had yelled at her for being disrespectful. Thea started screaming at Oliver about how she couldn’t stand his BS and that he needed to man up. Moira had come storming in at that point and started yelling at the two of them for bickering and all hell had broken loose. Tommy chose to slip out as quietly as possible to avoid being in the middle of a Queen family meltdown. They were about as toxic as the ones between him and his dad.
Almost as soon as he’d gotten out of the Queen mansion, Dear Old Dad had texted him yet again.
Where the hell are you? Since you’re NOT where you’re supposed to be, get to my office. Now.
He’d gone to see his father in his offices and all hell had broken loose there as well.
“Thomas, I’ve had enough,” Dad had said.
“Sorry, Dad,” he’d replied, “but Oliver is my best friend. He has been my entire life. He’s going through a hard time and I’m probably the only person who gives a shit.”
“He’s got family for that, Tom,” he said, “You have responsibilities to this family. Now either you get down to business and at least find something to prove you are worth my time and my money or I will cut you off.”
“Dad, you have threatened almost daily to cut me off since I was twelve,” Tommy growled, “It’s gotten really old. I am trying to be helpful in the business, but you won’t let me in, at least not here at home, where I’m needed…Look, I have a few ideas on some things here locally. If you can give me a little time to work out details, I think you’ll be happy enough with it to keep me here instead off on the other side of the world.”
He hated asking his father for anything, especially time. But he needed to come up with something to keep his father happy and keep him in Starling City, near Oliver. The only way that was going to happen was time…and a brilliant idea…soon.
“You know,” his father said, “You used to like to travel. You used to beg me to send you somewhere, anywhere as long as it wasn’t here.”
“He was gone, Dad,” Tommy said bluntly, “He was dead. He isn’t any more. And I need to make up for that lost time.”
“Oh my god!” Mr. Merlyn said incredulously, “You’re in love with him!”
“No!” Tommy denied vehemently, again very glad that he had learned at an early age how to lie to his father. “But I do love him. He’s the only brother I’ve ever had and I was lost without him for five years. You may not want me to think of him as family, but he is.”
Dear Old Dad just gave him a dirty look. Tommy stared him down. He would not flinch. If he did, he knew his dad would see the truth.
“Fine,” Dear Old Dad growled, “Prove to me you’re not in love with Oliver Queen. And prove that you can contribute to this family in some way. You have two weeks or we’re done with this whole charade.”
“Got it,” Tommy growled back.
Little Sis Gives Advice
That had been only a couple of days, but it felt like time was running out. He had started to “prove” that he wasn’t in love with Oliver by courting Laurel, but it just wasn’t working there. She knew the truth and wasn’t putting up with the façade. He also really needed to talk to Oliver about the misunderstanding they’d had. But when it came to Oliver, Tommy just never seemed able to catch a break.
“He moves fast, doesn’t he?” Thea said as she came into the foyer, pulling him from his reverie.
“It’s ironic, really,” he said teasingly as he turned to face her, adjusting his face to genuinely show he was happy to see her, “since you’re the one we call Speedy!”
“Oh! Please! For the love of God!” she groaned with a smile, “But if you need somebody to talk to, I’m here.”
How does one tell his best friend’s little sister that he’s in love with her brother? Simple. You don’t. He went for the next tack.
“You know…maybe you could help,” he smiled slightly, “There’s this girl I’m interested in…And I’m really not sure how to pursue it.”
“Have you tried using your usual lines?” she asked cheekily, “’Hi. My name is Tommy Merlyn and I’m a billionaire, but I don’t look like Warren Buffet.’?”
“Yeah,” he responded with a small sigh, “she is aware of that and she doesn’t care. You know…money really isn’t a big deal to her.”
He knew he was lying to her because he wanted to talk to her about Oliver. But substituting Laurel was a good way to find out the same information, right?
“Why don’t you just tell her how you feel?” Thea asked with a small smile.
“Well, I’ve-I-I’ve known her a long time and I’m not sure the direct approach is really the right way to go,” he replied honestly.
“Maybe you just need to figure out what’s a big deal to her and make it a big deal to you,” she suggested with a sly grin.
Perfect. It would work for Laurel or Oliver. Why hadn’t he thought of that?
“Thea,” he grinned and leaned in to kiss her cheek, “you are amazing!”
He turned and bounced to the door. Now he had a plan…at least with Laurel. For Oliver, he would need to work a little more to figure out what Oliver really wanted. He knew Oliver had the Hood, but it was obvious he already had a partner to help him. What else would Oliver want or need his help with?
“Love you!” he threw out to Thea as he bolted out the door.
He didn’t hear Thea whisper, “Love you, too.”
Full Court Press
Tommy needed Laurel to think that he was truly pursuing her. He couldn’t look her in the eye though without wanting to confess everything. He had known when they were together previously, that he could love her if Oliver wasn’t in the picture. But Oliver stood between them whether Laurel wanted to admit it or not. Tommy wasn’t as brainless as she thought. Laurel still had feelings for Ollie, but for some reason, she had decided to step back and give him a chance with Oliver without interference.
They had been working on the benefit for a few hours in her office when she yawned. He picked on her about being sleepy and then asked which cake she wanted. Tommy should have known her answer, but she responded as she normally would: carrot. He teased her about Bugs like he always did. It felt good to just be comfortable with her again. But then she asked the hard question.
“Tommy? Why the full-court press? Asking me to Coast City, the fundraiser…Why now?”
He looked up at her, unable to meet her eye. She knew how he felt about Oliver, but he had to be convincing…maybe even to himself. He decided to be honest about the “why her, why now” part. The why now part could wait for another time.
“You know,” he said with a sigh, “I was in a bar last week and I was talking to this girl…and things were progressing if you know what I mean…”
She smirked and said, “No! You’re too subtle!”
He grinned at her for a second before continuing.
“Anyway, we finally go back to her place, and I realize all of a sudden,” he hesitated and cleared his throat, “that I’d been there before…Been with her before. Two years ago…Just…didn’t remember…So I left,” he took a deep breath, pressing on, “You know, I remember some of the mornings when you and I were together and I made you omelets.”
He smiled at that memory and she returned the smile.
“And I’d be in your kitchen and I would think to myself, this isn’t just fun…This is more than fun…This is…This is different. I never felt that way with anybody else…And I miss it,” he kept his eye on her for a moment before he suddenly felt uncomfortable again. He looked down at the list and said, “Not mocha…Carrot.”
“Carrot,” she confirmed. She answered a few more benefit questions before she finally asked, “Tommy? What about Oliver?”
His tension grew exponentially at that moment. He had hoped to avoid the question, but it wasn’t going to happen now.
“It was a fantasy, Laurel. He can’t ever be anything more than my friend.”
“What happened? I thought you were going to talk to him…tell him how you feel?”
“I tried, Laurel,” he said sadly, “But all hell broke loose at his house after I told him I was in love with someone. And now, he’s avoiding me. I’ve tried to catch him to tell him and he always has an excuse to run away. I don’t know what to do.”
“So, you told him you were in love with him and then he avoided you?” she asked, “Really? That doesn’t sound like him…well, the old him.”
“No,” Tommy said, “I told him I was in love with someone. He automatically assumed it was you.”
“Tommy!”
“I was about to try and explain, but then Thea the Thunderstorm came flying in his room screaming about how much of a bitch her mother was and we were suddenly surrounded by the Queen onslaught. I slid out of that and right into my own storm. Dear Old Dad suspects I’m in love with Oliver.”
“What?!”
“Yeah,” he said, hanging his head, “that’s on me. I fucked up. I slipped up trying to explain to him why I really needed to stick around Starling City for Oliver. He automatically assumed it’s ‘cause I’m in love with him. Of course, he’s right, but you know him, I was a dead man in more ways than one if I didn’t deny it!”
She nodded. She completely understood Tommy’s fear. Mr. Merlyn was not known for his tolerance of those who were different. He was very well known for his vocal disgust and hatred for the LGBTQ+ community. Having a son, his only son, in love with another man would have been the worst thing that could happen to Malcolm Merlyn, especially if the man Tommy was in love with was Oliver Queen, son to the man who had once run the city and now the richest man in Starling City.
“Tommy,” she sighed, “I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah,” he agreed, “you and me both…and I’m sorry, Laurel. I wasn’t completely honest earlier…What I said was true. When you and I were together before, I really did like being with you. I still like being with you. But now, I sort of have an ulterior motive to be with you.”
“You need a beard,” she said quietly.
“Yeah,” he said miserably, “I hate to ask you, but-”
“Tommy,” she smiled, “I can do that for you. That I can do for you.”
“Really?” he asked incredulously.
“Really,” she smiled, “Now, are we done with this list? Because I’m getting very hungry and after this discussion, I think I could use a drink!”
“I can do that for you!” he laughed and began stowing the paperwork in a folder for the next day.
Division and Dinner
Tommy and Laurel had talked while they ate dinner that night. They discussed the strategy they would employ to keep Dear Old Dad from finding out Tommy’s secret. He knew it would be risky, more for him than anyone else. He needed to keep up the front that he didn’t want anyone but Laurel. As long as Oliver didn’t show up, he would be good.
“Honey, keep the alcohol flowing,” Tommy said to the server as he turned and spotted Laurel, “I can’t…Wow!” he said as she approached, “You look just…really lovely.”
“Lovely,” she said with a smirk, “Well, it’s nice that you’ve extended your vocabulary from words like hot and…mega hot.”
“You can just say thank you,” he said with a small grin, “you know?”
“Thank you,” she said as she placed her hand on his breast pocket and wrapped her hands into it. To anyone who was watching them, it looked like an intimate moment between the new lovebirds. “You know.”
“You’re welcome,” he said sincerely.
Tommy!” Jo said as she drew near, “This is wonderful! It means the world to us!”
Tommy smiled. He spotted Thea at the coat check and excused himself.
“Thank you for coming,” he said to Thea, kissing her on the cheek.
“Thank you for inviting me,” she said with a smile.
“Well,” he said with a grin, “I figured the entire Queen family and their checkbooks should be present.”
“Oh, right,” she said slyly. Tommy gave her a brief look, confused. “And how is that going for you so far?”
“It is going amazing…And all thank to you,” he said, his hand lingering on her arm, “You know, Thea Queen, the voice of reason!”
“Little ol’ me?” she said cheekily, “What did I do?”
“You gave me great advice,” he said, turning to find Laurel amongst the crowd, “I thought about what the girl was interested in and, uh…”
“And you did this for Laurel,” she said dully.
“And it’s working,” he said, turning to her, “Thanks again, Speedy!”
He headed back over to Laurel and didn’t hear Thea say, “Yeah…Any time…” before she turned to grab a flute of champagne, which she downed quickly.
The Aftermath
The quiet in the car was unnerving as Tommy drove Thea home. He didn’t know what to say to her. She obviously liked him a lot more than he ever realized or than she should. Truth be told, if she had not been only twelve years old when Oliver was lost at sea, things might have developed between the two of them. But she had been only twelve. And he’d watched her grow into a beautiful young woman.
However, she had always been Ollie’s annoying little, tag-along sister that they would find trying to do the things they were doing. At first, it had been funny to watch her take her first sip of beer and smoke her first joint, but when it got to the point that it no longer made her reel, they’d tried to keep her away from their activities. Oliver had been more of a father to them at those times than either of their fathers had ever been to them. He’d yelled at Thea that she was too young to be that simpleminded and sent her away. She would always retort that if she shouldn’t do it then neither should they. They’d stopped the drugs. They never had the chance to stop anything else, because Oliver had disappeared.
But when it all came down to it, he would never see Thea as anything other than Oliver’s little sister. He would never treat her as anything other than the little sister he never had.
“Look, Tommy,” she said quietly from the passenger seat of the car, “let’s just forget everything that happened tonight, okay?”
“Thea-” he started.
“No, Tommy!” she interrupted, “It’s obvious that you’ve got a thing for Laurel. I wish you well with that. But she’s gonna break your heart.”
“Why do you say that?” he asked, unable to keep his curiosity in check.
“Because regardless of the fact that you guys screwed while Ollie was gone, she’s still in love with my brother. And he’s in love with her.”
“Oh,” he responded. He was well aware and had already suspected, but it still hurt to hear someone else say it. He didn’t realize that Thea had observed her brother enough with Laurel to come to that conclusion.
They arrived at Queen Mansion and Tommy walked Thea inside. She was still a little unsteady on her feet, so he handed her off to one of the security guards. He figured it would be safer for one of them to get her up to her room given her attempt at seduction earlier in the night.
“Take care, Speedy,” he said softly as she climbed the stairs with assistance.
She stopped in the middle of the steps and looked down at him sadly, “Yeah, Tommy,” she said, “Thanks again.”
She turned her back on him and walked up the stairs, her back stiff. Tommy turned to another guard and asked about Oliver.
“I believe he and Mrs. Steele went out for dinner,” the guard responded.
That answered that question and saved him the hassle. He felt a strange pricking in the back of his eyes and squeezed them tight. He was done crying over Oliver Queen. The next opportunity he had, he would tell him why.
