10613/Christmas Queen

Christmas Queen
Date of Scene:	01 January 2020
Location:	Sub-Level, Queen Mansion
Synopsis:	The Christmas party ends with an unexpected revelation for Oliver and Felicity.
Cast of Characters:	Green Arrow, Felicity Smoak

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Green Arrow has posed:
Christmas is finally upon Starling, with all the cold and snow that this season always brings to the city. Hoping to make it a bit warmer, at least in the heart of those that work at Queen Consolidated, Oliver has opened the mansion to host the company's christmas party.

Preparations have been ongoing last few days, much buzz whether Dinah Drake will be performing or not, rumors on who will bring who to it, which means reporters have also made sure to be present, even if not allowed into the grounds. Not that it stops them from taking pictures of those that come in.

Most of the event will be happening out in the large, open gardens, tables having been set with food to all tastes being prepared, the house has been decorated to follow the christmas spirit, along with mistletoe on some trees for the daring ones to stand underneath, christmas lights all over and in the background a small band is playing. Christmas themed songs, of course.

Oliver has been busy receiving guests, just now finishing to greet Ellis when the man steps in. A handshake, Oliver saying. "Try to relax tonight, Ellis. You are a bit too stiff."

Felicity Smoak has posed:
The party progressed as parties do, Felicity surprised when Oliver had asked her to dance. Once out on the dance floor the rest of the room had disappeared from Felicity's perceptions. She could see little but Oliver's eyes. The way they looked at her. Making her feel like she was the only woman in the room. The music soft, the singer seeming to serenade their dance. The moment he'd looked down into her eyes and then leaned his head towards hers. Felicity's tongue touching her lips with nervous anticipation. Tilting her own head up until their lips-

"Hey Felicity! Great party, eh? You look like you're somewhere else right now," Jenkins asks as he walks up to where Felicity is leaning against a wall by herself. His arrival snaps her back to reality like a bucket of cold water. The real party is similar to the unlikely fantasy version that had caught her up so as it played out in her head. But so different in the aspects that had captured her thoughts.

Felicity lifts a hand to give her coworker a little wave hello, hoping her cheeks aren't flushed. "Hey Jenkins," she says. No one ever calls him by his first name. Most don't even know it. "Glad you made it."

Jenkins nods back to Felicity. "Wouldn't miss it. Chance to see the inside of Chateau Queen? You just get here?" he asks. Felicity shakes her head. "I helped set up some of the controllers for the lights and music. Speaking of, I should probably go say hello to Mr. Queen since I missed doing so earlier." Jenkins chuckles and nods as he grabs a drink from a passing server. "I'll be over here, enjoying the free booze when you get done." Felicity starts over towards Oliver. And, ugh, Ellis. She's wearing a red dress that leaves her arms bare, and doesn't have her glasses on tonight. Her blond hair styled after a trip to the salon. It's a very different look than her work attire.

Green Arrow has posed:
Ellis indeed looks stiff, the man just can't relax sometimes. Or maybe just too much on his mind. But he at least can smile, even if it does seem a bit of a nervous smile. Yet he is just glad to get all the niceties out of the way, "Perhaps some wine will do the trick." then he starts walking off. The man wanders by Felicity, a brief appraising look given to the woman. He doesn't seem to immediately recognize her, watching and even daring a deeper smile of his own. "Good evening." he states, cordially. Yes, clearly didn't recognize her. But then he is gone past her.

Oliver watches Ellis go with a shake of his head, letting out a sigh. But what can he do? Some men are just like that. Tonight he dresses in a suit, of course, black pants, sharply cut to his size, contrasting with a white shirt that instead of a tie has more informal bowtie. Atop is a black vest, buttoned up and finally a jacket around his form.

Unlike Ellis he doesn't mistake Felicity for someone else, recognizing her immediately, and his eyes stay on her, watching her approach. He is perhaps a touch surprised with the transformation but there is a pleased smile on his expression.

"Good evening, Felicity." he greets her approach.

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Felicity Smoak is just bracing herself for being on the receiving end of some Ellis stares, the ones that make her feel like she should question if she's supposed to be there, wherever there is, at the given moment. As he goes on past after that smile and greeting she's so flabbergasted she doesn't even get out a response.

It doesn't take much to distract her away from the personal assistant's departure though as her eyes fall on Oliver. Felicity unconscious smooths the dress over her sides and then walks over to him. "Good evening, Mr. Queen," Felicity returns. "I mean, Oliver. Or... well you're both, but you asked me to... I mean, Merry Christmas. And thank you for hosting this. It's a really nice gesture for the employees," she tells him.

She glances around the gardens. "It's just beautiful here," she says, eyes on the decorations and the lightning and the smartly dressed wait staff, ferrying food and beverages to everyone.

Green Arrow has posed:
"Oliver will do." Oliver says as if in reassurance to the stunning IT woman in front of him. It isn't as if he hadn't realized she was beautiful, though one thing is imagining, or seeing through the more reserved manner in which she dresses and the other is seeing her in a dress like that. He is silent for a few moments, re-focusing himself again, perhaps it even taken as looking distant. "Thank you. And happy Holidays. Since you are jew afterall." had she told Oliver this before? Maybe, maybe not. But she did tell it to Green Arrow, and that's the moment he was remembering.

But then she is asking about the gardens, he gesturing. "I enjoy coming out here when I am in need of relaxing. It's not something that you'll probably notice tonight with all the people running around, but this can be rather peaceful." the motion with his arm, when he turns to point towards a part of the garden makes him wince, still some leftover marks from that fight. Damn that enhanced guy could hit like a truck.

"I am glad you could make it, I have something for you later on." he says, adjusting his vest as the pain subsides.

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Though Felicity has definitely been involved in more, going on the trip to New York to evaluate the company that Oliver was considering buying into, the mention of something for her later is a small surprise. Though she finds herself wondering if maybe she's earned a bonus this year. She hasn't been at the firm long, isn't really sure how such things work.

"You do?" she asks. "Well, I'll be around. Whenever's convenient for you," she says, glancing up as more employees arrive and drift over towards Oliver. "Just, drinking and eating and... celebrating. And yes, Jewish," she says, looking surprised that he knew that, but no doubt just assuming he'd probably read upon her employee profile before including her in New York.

Felicity motions towards the rest of the party. "I guess I'll go and... mingle and all," she says. "And let you... do your boss thing," she says, smiling as the new arrivals reach them.

Green Arrow has posed:
Ah, the joys of being the host, meaning everyone wants a bite out of Oliver. Some almost literally! He lets out a brief sigh, most likely noticeable by Felicity, "Duty does call. Unfortunately." he lifts one arm up, slowly, giving a wave to a pair that goes by, "I am sure we will still meet, if I can emerge out of all those that want to come and say hello. Perhaps a dance later on?" he offers, his eyes straying back to Felicity.

But then another pair closes in to greet them. Stewart, who was the hardware engineer that accompanied them to New York, along with his wife Ellen. The woman seems to be preening almost, appearing quite happy to be displaying her new dress, a long gown that flows down to the ground, all frills. Stewart. "Ah, Mr. Queen. Thank you for inviting me and Ellen. She was really looking forward to the party. I was too of course, hehe." then he looks at Felicity. "Oh, hello, Ms. Smoak. Barely recognized you! Looking good." he grins, which brings his wife to lift a brow at him. "Yes, good evening." she says, very polite and formal.

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Felicity glances around her briefly after Oliver mentions a dance. As if sure Jenkins is going to arrive and startle her out of another daydream. Her eyes dart back and forth. No... Jenkins. Felicity straightens a little. "I'd like that. Thank you. Oliver," she says, and for just a second managing to forget he's her boss.

Stewart and Ellen's arrival gets a small smile and head nod from Felicity. "Nice to see you both. Ellen, you look beautiful. I can see why Stewart hasn't been able to stop talking about bringing you," she says, throwing Stewart a solid with his wife.

She looks back to Oliver. "Thank you, hope to talk to you again later," she tells him, not mentioning the dance with the others there. She steps away then, grabbing a drink which she oh so needs at the moment, and then finding somewhere she can avoid Jenkins, yet be easy for Oliver to find.

Green Arrow has posed:
Great save! Stewart looks relieved when Felicity mentions him having talked about bringing his wife to the party, a subtle 'thumbs up!' given her way. Ellen shifts her expression, apparently mildly pleased. "He is such a blabber mouth sometimes." and then Stewart says his goodbyes and brings his wife over to the food table. Time to get into the party spirit and ..., get some drinks!

That means Oliver is left alone for now, watching Felicity walk away but quickly his attention goes to another arriving couple. Handshakes, all the formality, a smile. Trying to be charming all the time can be tiring! And then the board of directors starts trickling in... Will it ever stop?

Meanwhile, the party is continuing at a good rhythm, the music picking up and a few couples already up on the dance floor, going through the first timid steps while others go through some food and drinks first, gathering the courage to join up.

Jenkins can be seen here and there, on the prowl most likely. A drink on one hand. Then a Ellis going past, no drinks on that one. Apparently not having followed Ollie's advice. His loss.

But as time passes Oliver has yet to reach back to Felicity. Always something taking his time, or attention.

Felicity Smoak has posed:
After giving Stewart a small smile back, Felicity goes and gets herself a drink. Likely hoping it gives her a little liquid courage as she's feeling a few butterflies in her stomach at the moment.

She finds somewhere to wait, first over against a wall. But then deciding standing by herself might look like she's not sociable. So she moves over to join small circles of employees. Giving smiles and nods where appropriate, congratulating a couple on their child's baby pictures no matter if the picture has the child looking like a deformed. Greeting coworkers significant others or at least dates intended to impress.

At first she keeps an eye on Oliver Queen, but as he gets drawn off by one thing and another, eventually she loses track of him, and the possible dance moves to a backseat in her mind. She watches Jenkin trying to hit on the redhead from accounting that he occasionally underclocks her cpu badly so she'll call for tech help. She has a date with her so good luck there, Jenkins.

Felicity has a second drink, and picks up a third but plans to call it quits then. She glances around the garden and then decides to walk about and see more of it. She heads along some of the paths, moving off into the foliage and away from the main party. An outside stairs gives access up to a balcony that looks out over the party, the rails and roof adorned with lights. Felicity makes her way up to it, moving over to look out at the party below.

Green Arrow has posed:
Well, at least they didn't bring those babies to the party! All those babysitters making extra money tonight ...

Ellis notes the interaction between Jenkins and the redhead, Sally. A squint of his eyes, then a jots down a note on his little notebook. Yes, he brought one to the party. Because work never stops! And relationships between work colleagues only reduces productivity, or so he believes. He will keep an eye on them, oh yes, he will. Now where to find that other girl Felicity. For some reason it makes him want to go have a drink, and he goes do just that. It even has a bit of alcohol to it. Such a rebel..

Oliver just can't get a break. The board of directors trickled by, some arriving fashionably late, others lingering for a nice, long talk. Everyone wants a piece of him, hopefully not literally. But he manages through it, eventually even being dragged over to dance. No Vera tonight yet though, not like her to be late.

But at last he gets an escape route once he goes through a long talk with his mother about the eggnog just not being as good as it should be. A scandal!

He roams the gardens, exhaling, then opening the first button on his shirt and finds himself nearing that same balcony where Felicity is. It's a place he likes to escape to when he wants to be by himself. But now there is someone there. Someone he had been wishing to meet again tonight. "Big party tonight, isn't it?"

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Felicity Smoak leans on the railing of the balcony, the decorative lights probably making it difficult for people further off at the party to see past them to the balcony itself. It's like her own private little voyeur platform. Jenkins watching Sally dance with her date, and no doubt trying to pick a moment he might catch her without the man to ask for a dance himself. And it looks like Stewart is doing a decent job with Ellen, she seems smiles and-

Oliver catches Felicity by surprise as he walks up. Do they teach stealthiness in playboy CEO school or something? The thought is so fleeting it barely registers with Felicity as she clears her throat and then smiles towards Oliver. "Yes, it really is. And you had to greet them all. Thought maybe I'd need to get you some gloves or something. I mean, so your hands don't get chafed. Not that I imagine they are chafed. Not... that I imagine them at all," Felicity says. She stops herself from talking and takes a sip of her drink. "Great party," she says in recovery.

Green Arrow has posed:
Not on playboy CEO school! But spending a few years on an island can ..., change someone. Hopefully for the better. And it comes with such perks, like barely making a sound even when walking in such fancy shoes.

He makes his way over, resting his non-chafed hands on the balcony. They do look roughed though, calloused. Not the typical CEO type. His blue eyes survey the party, his people and he smiles in that manner of his when he is pleased with something. "I am glad everyone was able to come by. People seem happy."

His eyes then go to Felicity, watching her for a few moments, "I still owe you a dance." he then says. Even in the balcony the music is still quite audible.

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Felicity takes another sip from her drink. "Yes, it seems to be going over really well," she says, glancing down at the people below. Gathering in groups to talk and laugh. Dancing. Some strolling off through the gardens. No doubt the rumor mill on Monday will have stories about who did what at the office party. While Ellis will probably be transferring his notes to a spreadsheet.

Felicity really isn't thinking about anyone else though, her glance kept short as Oliver mentions owing her a dance. "If you don't have somewhere else you have to be," she says, giving him an out just in case it was just a courtesy. If he foregoes the potential escape route, Felicity sets her champagne glass down on the thick wooden railing. "Did you want to," she says, starting to motion towards the dance floor down below, and then looking to where they are as if the other option.

Green Arrow has posed:
A spreadsheet with colored grades of severity. Ah yes, Ellis has it all figured out already. He smiles with a bit of a glee, which makes one of the girls from research to begin talking with him. That wasn't part of the plan... But he indulges it. Smile and nod. That should work.

Oliver continues to watch Felicity for a time longer, then says. "I don't think there's anywhere else I'd prefer to be right now." though realizing how bad (or good?) it can sound he adds, "This has always been one of my prefered spots in the gardens."

To the question if they should move downstairs or stay here he answers it by extending one hand to her. "Will you give me the honor of his dance?" which may, or may not, bring memory to a certain recent dream when he said those same words, his tone even similar.

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Felicity looks up at the taller Oliver, for once not having her glasses between the blue eyes and the man that has just asked her to dance. "My honor is yours to... ah... that is... yes, I'd like to," Felicity tells him, for once cutting herself off before her foot makes it into her mouth. Which is good. She needs that foot for dancing.

The young blond woman moves a little nearer, moving her hand to rest it in Oliver's. For a few moments she just stands there, her hand within the warmth, calloused warmth, of his hand as she looks up into his eyes. It finally dawns on Felicity she should do more, and she moves over into his personal space, into suitable dancing position. Though Oliver's guidance may have a lot to do with how close to him she ends up. She'll reach her other hand up to his shoulder, the fingers resting there and even through his coat, Felicity can't help but notice just how brawny her boss is.

Green Arrow has posed:
A slight inclination of his head, showing his acknowledgement of her acceptance to dance. Oliver's hand curls around Felicity's softer one, fingers feeling that skin for the first time. It pleases him for some reason, as if that was where they were supposed to be, sharing warmth with this young woman. He steps forward to meet her halfway through but does show a bit of surprise that she took initiative. Perhaps not as timid as he originally thought. Or maybe timid is a bad word for it. No, hesitant perhaps.

And then they are close, not intimately close of course but enough that they are quite aware of each other's body even if his gaze only has space for her expressive eyes now. His hand slides down her side, finding a spot just in that connection between a hip and Felicity's lower back, his large hand firm there but not indecent. He notes how soft her lines feel, making him exhale, "Last time I saw you dance was on an elevator. Hopefully we will be able to beat that." a slow, gentle music is heard from the distance, Oliver beginning to lead her through those first steps. It's somewhat cold out here away from the main party but he doesn't seem to mind, or feel it.

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Felicity's surroundings fade from her awareness a bit as Oliver begins to dance with her. The feeling of his hand up on the narrowing of her waist at her hip, resting upon the red dress. His presence, even with inches separating them, is a tangible thing for the young woman that draws her focus.

She lets him guide her body, feet moving to the slow pace he sets them. "Elevator?" she repeats. "You remember that? And still wanted to dance?" she asks in a tone which is just enough joking to cover the nuggets of truth, lips growing into a shy, somewhat embarrassed smile.

Her blue eyes lift back to Oliver, seeing his own focusing on her to the exclusion of the rest of the party below. "I'm probably in trouble if we can't beat it," she agrees. A cool wind blows, stirring the branches of the pines that still have their needles, and setting Felicity's carefully styled hair to blowing as the wind sweeps over her bare shoulders and arms.

Green Arrow has posed:
And guide he does, Oliver is a trained dancer. How could he not be? With all the dinners his family hosted, and lets not talk about his playboy days. Dancing was part of his routine and no matter how much those days are gone there are things one does not forget. He moves with her through the balcony, that music from a distance contrasting with their louder steps and voices giving it an almost ethereal quality, that wind blowing through a reminder to how it's just the two of them here right now.

"I am sure we will manage to beat it together." Oliver reassures her after seeing that embarassed smile, a soft chuckle leaving his lips, not in mocking but pleased that she seems to be enjoying it. As much as he is, he hopes.

He is very aware of her now, on how well she seems to follow his motions in the lead, his eyes trailing over the sweeping hair, almost entranced by it. The hand on Felicity's hip brings her closer, a protective gesture almost, as if he would shelter her from the cold felt, perhaps not realizing they aren't exactly in the warmest places of the garden.

His chest heaves, breathing just a touch faster at their proximity. Perhaps coming to realize this isn't just someone he is becoming good friends with. That there is a lot more that he'd wish them to be, that he'd want to share with this woman.

Felicity Smoak has posed:
The music from the party plays softly, carried on the wind up to the balcony turned private dancefloor. The backdrop of that balcony seems to turn about Felicity rather than the other way around, so focused is she on Oliver as he guides her, turning them both about slowly.

Felicity gazes up at Oliver and those deep blue eyes looking back at her. The remembered daydream seems but a poor reflection of reality. How could she not have thought of how it would feel, his hand upon her lower back. To be guided closer, until finally the curves of her body begin to brush about him. The feeling as her hand slowly drifts further up his shoulder, feeling the contour of muscular shoulders beneath his coat, her hand destined to end up with fingers just touching the back of Oliver's neck.

The longer they dance, the longer Felicity is within Oliver's arm, her other hand resting in his warm grip, the more that begins to show in her eyes. Thoughts and feelings she repressed, apart from occasional failings of her verbal filter, begin to show in her eyes. She swallows, her tongue touching her lips as she finds herself leaning imperceptibly closer, moment by moment.

Green Arrow has posed:
Oliver is inevitably drawn closer to Felicity, their proximity almost intoxicating, threatening to overwhelm his senses. But it feels right. She feels right. Here in his arms, they dancing to their own tune, together as they should be. His smile turns deeper, even if not wide open, instead one that seems to realize just what this young woman may mean to him.

The proximity makes those muscles felt, on his shoulders and neck, on his front. The man trains himself to a peak. That much is evident. Maybe a surprise that some billionaire CEO would have such care for his physique. But she has yet to find out his alter ego.

His large hand isn't on that hip anymore, having travelled to nestle on the sweet curve of her lower back.

The touch of her naked fingers on the back of his neck is like a balm, a call for him to lean further in, slowly but inevitable. There is no question that their dance has turned into something a lot more intimate, personal. He can barely even hear the music anymore, so focused he is in discerning the beating of her heart.

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Felicity's fingertips make that transition from Oliver's jacket and shirt, to touching his skin. The curves of her chest start to rest against him, his arm still drawing the curve of her narrow waist nearer.

She looks up into his eyes as they lean in together, until her eyes flutter closed and Felicity tilts her head the rest of the way up, leaning into meet-

"Oliver? Oliver! There you are!" a woman's voice calls out, accompanied by the sound of heels on the stair steps leading up to the balcony.

Felicity is pulled out of what was better than a daydream by the woman's voice. She moves away from Oliver, backing up a step before turning around to face the party out below the balcony, keeping her face from being seen as she recovers from the surprise.

Vera arrives at the top of the stairs a split second after Felicity has pulled away. The stunningly beautiful brunette casts a smile towards Oliver. "I figured you would be waiting to greet me when I got here," she tells him, moving over to Oliver to slide both of her hands around his waist, before bothering to look and see who else is on the balcony with him.

Green Arrow has posed:
The expression on Oliver's face is an open one, bare for her, or at least this facet of his, a look that he has but very rarely shown to anyone to the exception of those that were able to touch his heart like Felicity is now.

His own head starts leaning in, lead by those fingers on his neck. Just a breath awa-

The voice then. It brings him to reality. To what is happening. He perhaps takes a moment longer to recover than Felicity, lost for a few split seconds. That same look is still on his face when Vera arrives, without the advantage that Felicity has on having turned away from them. It means he must face Vera, no matter how pleasing to the eye she is. He finally finds himself.

"Vera." He says gently, that reserved smile returning, his warm fingers moving up to brush over the woman's hair. "I wasn't sure if you'd still come or not."

Vera hmmms, watching Felicity. Is that a familiar face? No, she wouldn't be able to make the connection to the IT girl he met on his office a while back. No glasses, and with a beauty that may even come close to rival her own. Hmph! Noone rivals -my- beauty. "Fashionably late, darling. Along with some trouble getting here but, here I am."

At the questioning look from Vera, Oliver introduces. "This is Felicity. I believe you met at the office?"

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Felicity listens to their greetings of each other, eyes out on the party in the gardens below, but seeing none of it. She forces something near to her normal expression to face, something she might have walking through the rows of cubicles and offices back at work. Though without the glasses and in the dress, she looks different, there's also a familiar something to it. The kind of difference in mindset that will always set the Felicity's and the Vera's of the world apart. The latter not just confident of their place in it, but demanding of it.

"Nice to see you again," Felicity tells Vera, noting the woman's dress that shows off a wealth of cleavage of a quality that male eyes have problems pulling away from. The perfect nose and jewelry that probably cost far more than Felicity's dress and the car she came in. And it wasn't a cheap dress.

"You're right, Mr. Queen. Wonderful view of the party. The decorations really are something close up, but even more spectacular seen from further back," she says as if agreeing with some earlier statement. Doing Oliver a solid, apparently, just like she did Stewart with his wife.

Green Arrow has posed:
Even with that beauty, the dress that just seems to clamor for attention, a dream come true of a woman but yet Oliver's eyes are on Felicity, watching her even as they greet each other. It almost makes him wish he was the playboy of the past, the one that would change girlfriends with a whim. But he is a different man now, a better one he hopes. Yet there his eyes linger, yearning for the IT girl.

"Oh, of course. I am sure we have." The smile that Vera offers Felicity is one that really shows she remembers nothing of their previous meeting. She has been up there a few times .., oh maybe when she went ask Ollie to go shop for shoes. She truly loved those shoes..., in fact she is even wearing them now. But those thoughts leave her now. She notes Oliver's expression. She has seen it before, in the past. But it was Laurel back then, his childhood sweetheart. Could that be happening again?

Oliver gestures to the party below. "I am quite glad on how the party turned out. Everyone is here. The only downside of this vantage point is how cold it can be sometimes, specially in these chilly winter nights."

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Felicity Smoak gives Vera a polite and gentle smile back, an appropriate enough one. If if Vera's response that they surely have met is obvious enough it took little reading between the lines to hear the truth behind it.

Felicity nods and moves her hands to her bare upper arms as if to warm them. "Yes, just a little bit of a wind making it worse," she says, though the heaters set up all over the gardens do a good job of warding off the worst of the weather, here on the balcony they are up in the air higher, with fewer windbreaks.

The sound of footsteps coming up the stairs give brief warning before Jenkins steps into view. "Oh. Hello Mr. Queen. Hello Felicity," he says, trying to keep from his voice that he hoped to catch the stunning Vera where he might flirt with her alone. Though Vera likely gave him only the briefest glance before forgetting he existed unless someone forces her attention back to him.

Felicity looks over at Jenkins, and then back to Oliver for a moment. "I should probably go get a warm drink," she says, eyes on Oliver's. She tries not to let her regret at the lost moment show too much. "Thank you for pointing out the view," she says to Oliver, eyes lingering one moment before smiling to Vera and giving her a nod as a goodbye before she starts walking over to join Jenkins at the stairs, taking him away to give Oliver and his girlfriend privacy.

Green Arrow has posed:
Vera watches Felicity more attentively now. Yes, quite so. Some surprise though, or perhaps caught off-guard and still processing how Oliver was looking at the young woman. She looks over to Jenkins but barely acknowledges him, instead it being Oliver that says. "Hello, Jenkins." again, he seems to know the man's name. Twice he has said it! "Enjoying the party I hope?"

A mix of disappointment there on Jenkins when it seems Vera is taken but he welcomes Felicity with a smile. Until he notes the expression on her face. Yes, even with that facade they have known each other for a while now for him to know something is going on with her. His brow raises a bit, perhaps a sign to her that he noticed something, but he is at least wise enough to not ask about it just yet. "It's great, Mr. Queen. Thank you for hosting it."

Oliver has recovered by now. Blessed Jenkins. His expression is back to it's normal self and he smiles up at Vera. A smile that is returned but perhaps more sadly than he would had expected. It seems they will have a long talk in the night ahead of them.