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Practical Jokes and Other Misunderstandings

Summary:

Oliver and Tommy tell Thea about their relationship.

Notes:

This story depicts a polyamorous relationship between one woman and two men. If this is not something you are interested in, please stop and go no further.

I'm not telling this series in chronological order. I'm now including a chronological list of the fics in case you'd like to read them in the order they occur in the series instead of the order in which I publish them.

1. The First Time (Part 1)
2. The Italian Restaurant (Part 3)
3. Wherever You Are, There I Am (Part 8)
4. Practical Jokes and Other Misunderstandings (Part 14)
5. Cobble Hill (Part 4)
6. Twenty Questions Over Brunch (Part 11)
7. Hildy (Part 5)
8. Burgers & Lies (Part 9)
9. Look Me In The Eye And Make Me Feel The Truth (Part 12)
10. Will You Still Love Me, Tomorrow? (Part 7)
11. Up All Night (Part 6)
12. Welcome Home (Part 10)
13. Home Is Where You Are (Part 2)
14. Three (Part 13)

I appreciate everyone that has taken the time to read this series and who has left a kudo or sent me a comment.

Arrow and its characters do not belong to me.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

Oliver watched Tommy run his shaking hands over his head for the hundredth time in the last two hours - he'd counted. His boyfriend's outward anxiety mirrored his own inner turmoil. He put down the knife he was using to chop the ingredients for their salad, "Buddy, can you come here for a minute?"

Tommy blew out a breath and gave Oliver a small smile, "Sure, what do you need help with?"

As soon as Tommy was in front of him, Oliver wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him tightly against himself, "This was your idea, but if you don't want to go through with it, we don't have to. There is still time to change our minds."

Tommy slid his hands up Oliver's back, "I haven't changed my mind. We need to do this."

Oliver brushed his lips softly against Tommy's, "I need you to relax because your stress is stressing me out."

A small chuckled escaped from Tommy as his hands slid down Oliver's back and cupped his ass, "I can think of one or two things that would help us both relax." Tommy's lips landed just below Oliver's ear in a gentle kiss.

A shiver ran through Oliver and his body instantly responded. He took possession of Tommy's mouth and shifted them so Tommy was pressed between the counter and Oliver's hips. He couldn't help but grin when he felt Tommy's body respond to his. Even after being together physically for five months, Oliver was still a little surprised and very thrilled whenever he elicited that type of response from Tommy. He deepened his kiss and pulled Tommy's shirt out of his pants Tommy's breath hitched when Oliver's fingers deftly unbuttoned his pants and slid into his underwear, "Is this what you had in mind?"

"God, yes," Tommy said as he thrust into Oliver's hand.

The ringing of the doorbell had both men flying apart. "Fuck," Tommy hissed, "she's early. She's never early." He frantically tucked his shirt back into his pants "I'll get the door."

Oliver took deep breaths as he willed his body back under control He washed his hands and splashed some water onto his face. He could hear Tommy opening the front door and took another deep breath. He knew the next few hours would change his life forever.

Thea came into view and he picked up his knife and resumed preparing the salad, "Dinner won't be ready for another hour."

"That's okay," she grabbed a piece of carrot from the cutting board, "I'm not exactly sure I'm all that eager to eat a meal prepared by you and Tommy."

"Brat," Tommy teased as he threw a piece of carrot at her. "Would you like something to drink?"

Tommy opened the fridge and Thea peered inside, "I'll have a glass of that white wine."

"No, you won't," Oliver didn't look up from his cutting board, "you're not twenty-one."

"Lighten up, Ollie," Thea removed the bottle of wine from the fridge.

"Yeah, Ollie," Tommy gave his lover a pointed look, "lighten up."

Oliver nodded his head. The night might go easier if they all had a glass of wine, "Just one. I'll have a glass too."

Thea sat  on the stool opposite from where Oliver stood and smiled with satisfaction. She took a sip from the glass Tommy placed in front of her, "So, what's wrong?"

"Wrong?" Oliver put his knife down, "Who said anything about anything  being wrong?"

"Tommy invites me over for a home cooked meal. You're letting me have a glass of wine. Either one of you is dying or our dad is back in town."

"Dear old dad isn't in town and no one is dying," Tommy handed a glass of wine to Oliver, "Can't your brothers want to spend time with you?"

Thea smiled warily, "Of course you can, but the two of you are acting squirrelier than you did the time you stole the penguin from the zoo and left it in the pool house.

Oliver huffed out a laugh as he remembered waking up next to Tommy, both of them shirtless, with a penguin in his parent's pool house. "I still don't remember stealing that penguin."

Tommy smiled, "I don't either."

"Dad was so pissed," Thea covered her smile with her fingers, "I begged him not to kill the two of you."

"I remember," a soft smile spread across Oliver's face at the memory.

"You were crying and you stood between us and your dad." Tommy kissed the top of her head, "You were one scary ten year old."

"I'm still pretty scary," she said with pride.

"You won't get any arguments from us," Tommy gently tugged on her hair. "So, what's new with you? How's Roy?"

Oliver did his best to hide his smile at Tommy's attempt to sound neutral when asking about Roy. All three of them were relaxing and falling into their usual patterns of good natured teasing. If they could hold onto their mutual love and affection, the night might turn out all right.

Two hours later they'd moved from Tommy's dining room to the living room. Thea stood in front of the TV flipping through movies available On Demand, oblivious to her brothers and their mounting anxiety. Oliver quickly squeezed Tommy's fingers. He nodded in response to Oliver's silent question. What they had to say wasn't going to get easier, so it might as well be now, "Thea, Tommy and I need to talk to you."

Thea's head snapped up from the television, "I knew it.  Something is wrong."

Tommy shook his head, "Nothing is wrong," he took her hand and gestured for her to sit on the leather ottoman. He sat down next to Oliver on the sofa, "at least we hope you won't think anything is wrong." Tommy laced his fingers with Oliver's.

Thea's eyes landed on their joined hands, drifted up to their faces and then back to their hands, "Oh."

They all sat in silence. Oliver tightened his fingers against Tommy's as they waited for Thea to say something. Her brow was furrowed as she continued to stare at their hands, "Speedy, please say something."

She blinked rapidly before her attention returned to her brothers' faces. She looked incredibly confused, "You're together? Like boyfriend and boyfriend who see each other naked kind of together?"

"Yes," they said in unison.

"It's been almost a year," Oliver said nervously. He wasn't sure how she was taking the news about her brothers being together, but he knew she'd hate how long they'd kept it secret from her.

She looked between them and then a huge smile spread across her face, "Oh my god, you almost had me." She stood up, "Did Roy put you up to this? I knew he was mad about me convincing him that Beyonce was going to perform at Verdant, but I can't believe he convinced you to pretend that you're gay."

Tommy and Oliver looked at each other in disbelief. Of all the possible scenarios they'd run together of her possible reaction, it never occurred to either of them that she'd think that they were joking. Her attention was back on the list of movies. Tommy cleared his throat, "Thea, we're not pretending."

A wave of fear swept through Oliver when Thea's shoulders tensed, "Speedy, please sit down and talk to us."

She turned with tears in her eyes, "But you both like women. I mean, can you really have sex with that many women if you don't like them? I love you both and no judgment, but you're both kind of sluts when it comes to anyone with a vagina."

"Thea, please sit down." Tommy said firmly.

"I walked in on you that time," she glared at Tommy, "and you seemed pretty into that girl and what she was doing to you."

"What the fuck, Tommy?" Oliver pulled his hand out from Tommy's. "When was this? How old was she?"

"Relax, Ollie," Thea folded her arms across her chest, "I was sixteen and I let myself into Merlyn Manor without announcing myself. I didn't know he had company. Besides, I wasn't seeing something I didn't know about. I'd already had sex by then."

"What?" Oliver stood up, his fists clenched at his sides, "who were you having sex with at sixteen?"

"You're four years too late to worry about it, plus, I'm pretty sure you're the last person to be judging me. How old were you, fourteen?" Thea asked angrily.

"Fifteen," Oliver muttered.

"Okay," Tommy pulled on Oliver's hand in an attempt to get him to sit back down, "let's get back on track. Thea, you're right. We do both like being with women."

"I don't understand," Thea rubbed her eyes.

"Let us try to explain it to you," Oliver pleaded. She reluctantly sat back down. Oliver returned to his seat next to Tommy, "You can ask us anything."

"How? A year ago you just decided that you're hot for each other?" She eyed them suspiciously, "Suddenly, you wanted into each other's pants?"

"It wasn't suddenly," Tommy took hold of Oliver's hand.

"So, when Ollie came home you had this big revelation?" Thea challenged.

"No," Oliver smiled at Tommy, "before the Gambit."

"You were together, before the Gambit?" She shook her head, "I don't believe you."

"Thea, we weren't together together, but we had fooled around a bit." Tommy placed a hand on her knee, "Mostly, it happened when we were drunk or high. Neither of us were willing to examine what it meant."

"You cheated on Laurel with Tommy?" Thea accused Oliver.

Oliver hung his head. Thea had loved Laurel and he knew that his numerous betrayals of his girlfriend had always hurt his sister, "Yes, but Tommy and I only ever kissed before the Gambit."

"Only kissing is still cheating, Ollie." She turned her attention to Tommy, "So, we're you cheating on Laurel too?"

Tommy tightened his grip on her knee, "No, Thea. Ollie and I didn't get together until after Laurel died. I loved her. I never cheated on her."

"There's more," Oliver started before he completely lost his nerve, "Tommy and I are together, but we're also in a relationship with a woman."

"So you're dating each other and other people?" Thea rolled her eyes. "This doesn't have disaster written all over it. Which two brain trusts have agreed to date two guys who are in a relationship of their own? I hate to break it to you, but they've got to be gold-diggers."

"Not people," Tommy took a deep breath, "person."

Her eyes widened in disbelief, "Didn't you hurt each other enough with Laurel? Why would you do this to yourselves again? What happens when you decide you don't want to share and you only want her to date one of you?"

"It's not like that," Oliver tilted her chin so she was looking into his eyes, "Tommy and I are with this woman, together."

"Together?" Her eyes filled with tears, "Like all three of you at the same time, in the same bed, together?"

"Yes," Oliver couldn't get a read on what she was thinking.

She wiped her eyes, "Who is this woman?"

"Felicity Smoak," Tommy replied quietly.

Thea burst out laughing and stood up, "Felicity? Your assistant and babbling nerd. She's having sex with the both of you, at the same time?"

Oliver nodded, "Yes."

Thea began to pace, "Now I know that Roy put you up to this. There is no way Felicity would agree to this arrangement."

Oliver stood up and placed his hands on Thea's shoulders. He ducked his head so he was looking her in the eyes, "I know this a lot to take in, but we aren't playing a joke on you. Thea, I'm in love with Tommy."

Thea cocked her head to the side and realization slowly dawned on her face, "You really are."

"Yes, I really am," he smiled at Tommy.

Thea looked to Tommy, "Are you in love with Ollie?"

A huge smile spread across his face, "For such a long time."

Thea smiled as she watched her brothers smile at one another, "Oh my god, you're such dorks. You're literally making heart eyes at one another."

"What can I say?" Tommy winked at Oliver, "We're in love."

Thea's brow furrowed, "What about Felicity? Are you in love with her too?"

Oliver smiled, "Very much so."

"Is she in love with you?" Thea looked at both of them.

"Yes," they said together.

Thea pursed her lips as she looked back and forth between them, "Please don't hurt one another. I love you both, so much, but you both suck at relationships. I don't want either of you to get hurt. I won't choose between you."

Oliver grabbed hold of her hand, "We will never make you choose between us. No matter what. You are too important to both of us for us to ever put you in that position."

"We don't want to get hurt either," Tommy put an arm around his sister, "We want this to work out. I promise, I will do everything in my power to never hurt Ollie."

Oliver threaded his fingers through Tommy's, "I promise, I never want to cause you pain again."

Tommy leaned forward and kissed Oliver, "I love you."

"I love you," Oliver blushed as he realized Thea was inches away from them.

"Ugh," Thea turned back to the television, "either get a room or help me pick out a movie."

Both men laughed and flopped back onto the sofa. Oliver wrapped an arm around Tommy's shoulder, "Dealer's choice."

"Hmmm," Thea bit her lip, "I'm thinking a sappy romance. How do we feel about, The Notebook?"

Tommy groaned. Oliver looked at him with a raised eyebrow. Tommy shook his head. Oliver was going to trust his judgment, "I don't think we feel good about it."

"Good," Thea hit play. "Next time, you won't wait a year to tell me something important."

Tommy shot Oliver a look. He'd been on Oliver's case to tell her about his secret Arrow identity. Oliver had no plans to ever tell her that particular truth. If she ever found out that all of the men she loved were lying to her, they'd all lose her forever.

"Fair enough," Tommy rested his hand on Oliver's knee.

Thea squeezed herself between them, "I'm inviting Felicity to lunch tomorrow. I think it's past time I get to know her better, don't you?"

Both men gulped audibly.

She grinned as she snuggled into both men, "Don't worry, I promise to only tell her absolutely every embarrassing story about you I know."

Notes:

Thank you for reading! All kudos and comments are welcomed and appreciated.

Several readers asked to see Tommy and Oliver coming out to Thea after reading Thea's interrogation of Felicity over brunch. I hope you enjoyed it.

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