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jedichick04 · 6 years

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Fic: The Great Candy Cane Caper

Title: The Great Candy Cane Caper

Author: jedichick04

Gift for: @sparklesannie You seem to be a truly lovely person. I love your Tumblr, from the Arrow side to the other random posts, and can’t wait to follow you now that the Secret Santa is over! I hope that you enjoy this little Christmas fic, and that it provides the fluff you were looking for. Merry Christmas and happy holidays! Rachel

Rating: T

Summary: Oliver shares his favorite Christmas traditions with his family over two very different Christmases.

A/N: Mild spoilers through 6x09. Written for the Olicity Secret Santa 2017.

Original post here; read on AO3 here.

December 24, 2017

"Merry Christmas, Auntie Thea!"

If Oliver’s sister Thea was in any way startled by the way her nephew launched himself at her or his son’s enthusiastic greeting after he opened the door, there was no sign of it on her face. Instead, Oliver could see she was all grins as she wrapped her arms around William. “Merry Christmas!” she replied. She took a step back and breathed deeply. “Your dad’s been busy cooking?”

William nodded. “There’s more than enough food for Christmas Eve dinner tonight, and for Christmas tomorrow. Are you really spending the night tonight? Dad said you were. Oh--I should go help him some more. He was going to teach me how to properly mash potatoes.”

“And you don’t want to miss that,” Thea said. She followed William into the kitchen, where she greeted Oliver with a kiss on the cheek. “Merry Christmas, Ollie. If only the bad guys could see you now.”

“They might be very intimidated by my chocolate souffles,” Oliver retorted, setting down a spoon and wrapping Thea in a hug. “Hi, Speedy. Glad you could make it. Just drop your bag anywhere and I’ll take it to your room after.”

Thea set it down, along with the bag of presents she’d been carrying. “You’re not going to make me help in the kitchen, too, are you? Because I should warn you now, I think you got all the cooking skills in the family.”

“Found it!” Felicity emerged from their bedroom with a wine corkscrew held triumphantly overhead. She greeted Thea with an embrace. “And no, we’re leaving the men to cook while we start in on this incredible bottle of wine I can now open.” She made quick work of the cork, then poured two glasses, leaving a third wine glass empty for now.

They both settled in at the counter, talking about everything and nothing as they sipped at their wine. Oliver went back to cooking, trying not to look up too often at his little sister and his wife interacting. He still felt like the last month was something out of a dream, from his sister waking up from her coma to Barry and Iris’s wedding (and all that entailed) to Felicity asking him to marry her right there in the park to celebrating it with their friends and family. There had been plenty of negatives, too--his arrest and the team breaking up being the two major negatives--but overall, for the first time in a very long time, Oliver had everything that he wanted in his life.

He could really get used to this foreign feeling of contentment.

He was good to his promise to teach William how to mash the perfect potatoes. Oliver had been worried that both Christmas and his sudden elopement would cause William to return to the brooding boy he’d been those first five months after his mother’s death. But William absolutely adored Felicity, and once Felicity had encouraged Oliver to just talk with William about any Christmassy things he used to do with his mom that he wanted to keep doing, Oliver had felt a lot better about the whole situation. And while William had been unsure about doing some Christmas activities without his mom, he had offered up a few things that Oliver had been more than happy to incorporate into their Christmas season.

Oliver had also promised to introduce William to two Christmas traditions that Oliver kept. Those would be happening after dinner. William asked about them again as they were bringing the food to the table, while Felicity and Thea joined them and set their wine glasses down. Thea jumped right in with a story about how both the traditions had started before Oliver even had a chance to open his mouth. He didn’t mind at all; he was grateful for how easily Thea had taken to the role of aunt to his son.

Oliver went to get the last dish of food, and he caught Felicity standing back a little and smiling at nothing. He stepped closer to her and raised an eyebrow in question. She laughed softly. “I was just remembering what happened that time I asked you about your holiday traditions.”

He frowned for a moment, trying to recall what she was talking about--these days, so much of what had happened in those first months and years after the island felt like it had happened to someone else entirely. But as he remembered exactly what had happened, he grinned in response. “I thought you were insane. Adorable, but insane.”

“You mean determined,” she corrected, leaning up for a kiss. Oliver happily gave her one. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she pulled away. “I wanted you to see that you could have happy memories again.”

“I should have realized even then that you were my happy story,” Oliver said softly. Felicity rewarded him with another kiss, which was interrupted only when Thea cleared her throat loudly.

“Save it for after dinner, newlyweds. I’m starving.”

Both Oliver and Felicity smiled and broke apart. Oliver went to get the last dish of food, Felicity poured him a glass of wine, and before long they were all digging into their Christmas Eve dinner.

Five years earlier

Felicity was right.

Nobody was paying any attention to Oliver Queen, CEO of Queen Consolidated, or why he was having drinks with his bodyguard and his personal assistant. Nobody was paying attention to much of anything beyond themselves in the restaurant; the Christmas music was cranked up and there were several Christmas dinner parties going on. Nobody noticed the three of them dressed casually and seated in the bar area.

It was a nice restaurant, but not one he typically frequented. The reason he even knew about it was because he'd come here with John and Felicity after the first mission she'd worked out in the field with them. The Dodger case. Felicity had been visibly shaken up after having a bomb collar around her neck and joked about going out for margaritas. At the time, John and Oliver had exchanged a quick look and agreed to a drink, mostly to keep an eye on her and make sure she was really okay. So tonight, when they had wrapped things up in the Foundry and Felicity had cajoled the two of them into drinks to celebrate Oliver's safe return from facing Cyrus Gold, they ended up back at that same spot.

Felicity was two margaritas in when the conversation took a turn Oliver hadn’t expected.

"What are your favorite holiday traditions?" she asked, looking between John and Oliver.

John already had his beer to his mouth, which left Oliver wide open to answer. But even as he took a breath to speak, he found a warm finger pressed against his lips, and the scent of Felicity filling his personal space. He had grown very familiar with that scent in the last few months, working with her as his personal assistant, and warning bells were going off in his brain as he struggled not to focus on how nice her finger felt against his lips--or how very blue her eyes looked behind her glasses right now.

He was enough caught up in his struggle that he almost didn't hear her command. " Don't say mistletoe. We already know all about the beautiful island girls on fantasy island."

Oliver blinked in confusion, not at all helped by John's snort of laughter. He pulled back from her finger, narrowing his eyes as he tried to figure out what she just said. "What?"

She waved her hand, as if physically brushing off her comment. "If it's all about kissing, I don't want to hear about it. That's all. So what are your favorite holiday traditions, that don't include kissing?"

John was still chuckling, which left Oliver no less confused about her fantasy island comment. But he pushed aside that concern for now--writing it off as the tequila talking--and answered how he had originally meant to answer. "Candy canes."

"What do you mean, candy canes?" Felicity asked, squinting her eyes at him in concentration. "That doesn't even make sense."

Oliver shrugged. He wasn't used to opening up, and just a few weeks ago he'd already had to tell John and Felicity about Sara Lance surviving the shipwreck. But it wasn't just anybody asking. The determined blonde who, just a few hours ago had told him he "looked like a hero" when he put on a mask, was staring him down.

"My sister and I, we always would race each other to see who could finish the candy canes first," Oliver explained. He felt himself relaxing a little into the topic as he spoke. Felicity had a way of bringing that out in him, without even trying. “And then we would watch It’s a Wonderful Life until we’d both fall asleep. I think we both finally made it to the end the year she turned twelve.” That was the last Christmas they’d had together, before the island. Oliver didn’t mention that part out loud, knowing it would instantly dampen the mood.

Felicity stared at him for a long moment, long enough that Oliver found himself shifting nervously in his seat. Without comment, she finished the rest of her margarita and waved for their waitress. "We're ready for our checks," she said without asking John or Oliver. “We have someplace else to be.”

The two men exchanged a glance as they drained the rest of their beers. “Where are we going?” Oliver ventured to ask.

“You’ll see,” she replied with a pleased smile. She refused to say anymore as they paid their bills.

As they were leaving the restaurant, John muttered, “I’m glad I didn’t mention any of my holiday traditions.”

Five stops later and Felicity was clearly losing her tequila buzz. Her determination had only intensified.

“Does nobody in Starling City carry regular candy canes anymore?” she lamented as the three of them got back into the car after a quick trip through the Christmas treat section at the drug store. “How hard can it be? Candy canes seem to be a pretty basic part of the Christmas culture. Is there really a need for trendy flavors like tropical punch and Jelly Belly candy canes?”

“You did almost buy the chocolate mint ones,” John pointed out as he started the car.

Felicity ignored his comment. “There’s nothing else for it,” she said. “We’re going to have to steal them.”

“Felicity--” Oliver had been amused when this had all started--and in a way, deeply flattered that Felicity’s single minded mission since they had left the restaurant was to find a box of peppermint candy canes. But there was a line between ‘fun’ and ‘doing what the bad guys do’, and Felicity was announcing that she was crossing it.

Unfortunately, she ignored Oliver as easily as she’d ignored John’s comment moments before. “John, can you take us to QC?”

“Forget something at the office?” he asked as he made the turn back towards the city center.

“Every year since I was hired at QC, somebody brings in a stack of candy cane boxes and puts them in the break room on the IT floor. So we’re going to help ourselves to a few of those boxes,” she said with a nod, her long ponytail swishing back and forth.

Oliver relaxed a little at the explanation of their destination. “Is it really stealing if we’re taking it from work?”

“Technically, I don’t work for the IT department anymore,” Felicity pointed out. A familiar look came into her eyes, and Oliver could sense another (well-deserved) rant was about to come his way for putting her in as his personal assistant if he didn’t divert it quickly.

“Let’s hope they have the right flavor,” he said. He smiled slightly. “Or we may end up stuck with those green apple ones we just saw.”

“No, if we’re going green, we’re getting the chocolate mint ones,” she said before her eyes widened. “Oh. Did you want green ones?”

“No, I really do prefer the peppermint,” he assured her. “I don’t need everything to be green.” He looked out the window for a moment to see the QC building getting closer. “What’s the plan when we get there?”

He saw Felicity’s confusion written across her face. “Plan?”

“Yes, plan,” he said, turning to face her more. “Your mission. So you get to make the plan.”

“Oliver Queen, are you learning to share?” she asked. She looked very pleased with this turn of events.

He smiled slightly before he said, “Don’t get used to it.”

She laughed and worked on laying out a simple, straightforward plan by the time they reached the Queen Consolidated building.

Oliver waited uneasily outside the IT break room for Felicity. She had insisted that she go in alone. “It will take me two minutes, Oliver,” she told him with a roll of her eyes. “I can handle it.”

So since he had agreed to let her be in charge of “the plan”, here he was, feeling out of place and exposed in the company he technically ran.

He was just about to go in after Felicity--she had been in there for nearly five minutes and he could here her muttering under her breath--when he heard a male voice.

“What are you doing?”

Oliver was on high alert and already moving to the door.

“I’m taking the last box of regular candy canes,” came Felicity’s matter of fact reply. “There are still plenty of other flavors. Though why anybody would want root beer candy canes--”

“These are for the IT department, from the IT managers. And your badge says you’re a personal assistant, not from IT.”

Oliver stepped into the room and tried for his most charming smile. “Is there a problem here? Ms. Smoak, did you find the candy canes I needed?”

The man Felicity had been talking to had turned to face Oliver, and his eyes widened as he recognized him. “Mr. Queen. What brings you down to IT this late at night?”

“I needed a box of regular candy canes. Ms. Smoak--my personal assistant--recalled that there are typically too many boxes of candy canes left in the IT break room, and offered to retrieve them for me. I see that she’s been successful. Thank you,” Oliver said to Felicity, then turned back to the IT employee. “Don’t let us keep you from anything you’re working on.”

“No, Mr. Queen. I was just getting my lunch. I’m the IT staffer on call tonight.” The man seemed embarrassed now that he recognized the CEO of the company was in the same room as him. “Enjoy your candy canes, sir.”

“Thank you,” Oliver said, keeping his smile. He gestured for Felicity to go ahead of him, then said, “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, Mr. Queen. And Ms. Smoak.”

Oliver and Felicity made it all the way inside the elevator, where John was waiting, before Felicity started laughing. Oliver dropped the fake smile and cracked a real one before asking Felicity, “Maybe you should have gone for the green ones after all.”

John just looked at both of them, shook his head, and pressed the button for the parking garage.

“So why are we back here with our stolen candy canes?” John asked as Felicity set down her purse and coat.

“Because now that we have the candy canes...we have a movie to watch,” she said. She looked around the Foundry, then nodded towards the mats. “See if you can make some comfortable seating. I’ll work on the tech setup.”

John obediently started towards them, piling up some mats for the three of them to lean against, then going to find blankets and pillows Oliver had stashed in the Foundry. Oliver hung back with Felicity, who was muttering under her breath as she poked at her tablet.

“This whole thing--looking for candy canes and coming back here--it’s because of what I said at the restaurant?” Oliver asked.

Felicity looked up from her tablet, and for the first time all night looked uncertain. She was biting her lip in a very distracting way. “I don’t celebrate Christmas,” she said. “Hanukkah ended last week. But I thought--well, we deserve a little break. And you deserve a happier Christmas than you had last year.” She frowned. “You did say you do this with your sister. We can pick a different movie. I don’t want to step on your toes--”

“Fe-li-ci-ty.”

He said her name softly, but it did the trick. She stopped babbling and looked at him, waiting for his response.

“Thank you,” Oliver said. She blinked in surprise--had he ever told her that before? This particular occasion warranted it. Wanting to cut the tension of the moment--and the urge he had to just lean in and kiss her--he took the box of candy canes from the table where she had set it. “But I’m not taking it easy on you for the contest.”

“And here I thought you were a gentleman,” she replied. She smiled up at him, and he felt that urge to kiss her again. Luckily, the sound of John stacking another few mats up made Oliver look away, and the moment was gone. He headed over and settled next to John. Felicity joined them a few moments later, barefoot and with her hair down. She sat down on the other side of Oliver, then pressed a few buttons on her tablet and got the movie to start playing.

They went through the box of candy canes fairly quickly, and watched the movie with minimal commentary. Oliver felt the week catching up with him, his eyes growing heavy as he concentrated on the black and white movie. Both John and Felicity were settled in and quiet now as the movie played on.

The next thing Oliver became aware of were tingles from his left arm, and a soft warm weight pressed up against his left side. He blinked his eyes open, catching that George Bailey was staring down at the river, contemplating ending it all to make things better for his family. He heard soft snores from his right--John was fast asleep.

And so was Felicity, tucked up against Oliver and using him for a pillow.

He remained still, just looking at her. Her glasses were slightly askew, where she was pressed up against him; her hair was down, surrounding her face in soft waves. She looked peaceful, almost angelic as she slept on.

She deserved someone good, like the kid Barry Allen. She didn’t need to waste her time on someone broken like him, to spend a whole evening racing around the city trying to find the right kind of candy canes because he’d said it was his Christmas tradition.

She deserved better, and she shouldn’t waste time on him, but Oliver allowed himself these few minutes to memorize how easily she fit against him, how pleased she was on the ride back to the Foundry, how determined she had been to get the candy canes and the movie set up.

It was Christmas. He was allowed a few happy hours.

When he could no longer ignore the pins and needles in his left arm, he gently shifted her away from him, placing her head on his folded up grey sweatshirt. He carefully removed her glasses and set them in the empty box of candy canes, so they wouldn’t get broken. Then he shifted away, putting a little bit of space between them before he settled back down and watched the rest of the movie.

December 24, 2017

“I think he’s finally asleep,” Felicity murmured, her voice reverberating against Oliver’s chest. After dinner, they had all moved into the living room to watch It’s a Wonderful Life --which was only briefly interrupted by the annual candy cane eating contest. Felicity was snuggled up against him now, a warm spot on the cold night. He didn’t feel like shifting much, but all it took was a slight turn of his head and he could see that William’s eyes were indeed shut tightly as George Bailey made a mad dash to the library to see what had become of Mary in the world without George.

“He’s not the only one,” Oliver replied, nodding to where his sister had tucked herself into an armchair and was fast asleep. “I thought they’d never come down from their sugar highs.”

“You make it sound like we have two children in the house,” Felicity said with a sleepy laugh. “But you were participating just as diligently in that candy cane eating contest, mister.”

“A tradition is a tradition,” he said. He lightly brushed his fingers down Felicity’s arm. “That first Christmas I was back, Thea brought a box of candy canes to the hospital. It was an olive branch. For the first time since I returned from the island, I felt like an old part of me was back. But a good old part of me. Not the foolish irresponsible kid I was. But a big brother, sharing a tradition with his little sister.” He smiled softly. “And this year, I’m sharing it with my son and my wife.”

Felicity found his left hand, gently tracing along the cool metal ring that Oliver was still hyper aware of, after a little less than a month wearing it. “Talk about unthinkable. You and me.”

“You changed my life from the moment I walked into your office and you told me you knew who I was,” Oliver countered, taking her hand and wrapping his fingers through it. “It was never an easy road. But we made it here.”

“A quiet family Christmas,” she said with a smile before yawning and snuggling back into his chest. “I love you, Mr. Smoak.”

A wide grin came across Oliver’s face, a deep contentment and peace filling his soul. When he’d returned from Lian Yu, he never would have been able to imagine anything like this. He never thought he would deserve anything like this. But bit by bit, hard learned lesson by hard learned lesson, he’d moved from the broken man who left the island to the man he was today. Brother. Father. And husband to the incomparable Felicity Smoak. “I love you, Mrs. Queen.”

“No, Mrs. Queen was my mother-in-law,” came the sleepy response. Oliver chuckled, keeping her hand wrapped in his until he drifted off to sleep to the strains of Auld Lang Syne, the lights of the Christmas tree twinkling and catching on the unwrapped cellophane from the candy cane boxes still strewn across the living room.

#my fic #olicity fic #olicity secret santa #olicity fan fic #olicity squee #olicity #oliver queen #felicity smoak #william clayton #thea queen #john diggle #ota #original team arrow #rst #ust #christmas fluff #olicity christmas #the great candy cane caper #jedichick04

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basically-rainbow-aus · 4 years

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Candy Valkyrie-Rose (Based on Loki, God of Mischief)

Name Inspiration: Candy Pink

Nickname(s): ‘Candy Heart’ by Nora, ‘Pipsqueak’ and ‘Squirt’ by Kai-La

Iolite-isms: Candy Cane, Sherbet, Airhead, Klik

Languages: Vacuan, Valean, North Mistrali

Gender: Female

Species: Human (Silver Eyed Warrior)

Aura Colour: Magenta

Schools and Team: Oscuro Academy (combat school), Shade Academy (Academy)/Leader of Team CAAP (Caper)

Bestie Better Than The Restie: Kai-La Wukong, Iolite Black

Homeplace: Vacuo

Orientation: Demisexual Biromantic

Semblance: Thunder Thighs, a semblance that allows Candy to absorb electrical energy and channel it into her legs specifically. Using this means she can run faster, jump higher, and kick harder. It also grants her increased agility, but not flexibility, meaning she is limited to what her body would be able to do normally with only increased force.

Weapon: Hiraishin, a hammer that greatly resembles that of Nora’s Magnhild that is able to shift into a minature scythe. It is also constructed from a special electricity-absorbant metal that aids in the channeling of her semblance.

Voiced by: Casey Lee Williams

Trivia:

She super looks up to her moms, but she also sees them as competition to eventually surpass even though her Semblance somewhat restrains her from that.

Candy has a girlfriend over in Menagerie who she prefers to keep secret from her teammates and friends, but especially her cousins. Kaenneko would skin the poor girl alive and Candy doesn’t want to know what Amba would do.

The only time she’s ever visited Atlas before the events of the story are to visit her great-uncle Qrow and his family, which is always a blast.

She’s the only girl on her team and it shows. She’s always hauling the boys around and carrying them despite also being the smallest of the four, so she’s basically the team big sister.

Candy puts up a tough front that is partly sustainable anyway, but she can be easily shirked and shaken by excessive attention or a lot of people watching her.

The two Ren siblings are basically her cousins at this point, with the amount that she sees them over in Kuroyuri.

She’s closest with Nora and will call her every night before bed just to make sure she and Ruby are alright back home without her.

Ruby was very delicate in the process of training Candy to use her Silver Eyes. She didn’t want her daughter to go through what she had to go through as a teenager, so Candy has been trained since she was little. Her go-to “silver thought” is the memory of first making her cloak with her moms.

Candy is the first in a line of RWBabies the admins have created over the past year. It is a canon-divergent AU with minor and major differences in terms of relationships and characters still present.

#candy valkyrie-rose #candy #sugar rush #rosehammer #ruby x nora #sugar rush kid #rwbabies #rwbaby #remnant rwby next gen #the og daughter #admin neptune #admin neon

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rebeccareviews · 5 years

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The Candy Cane Caper by Josi S. Kilpack

Josi S. Kilpack’s The Candy Cane Caper is a wonderful and gentle Christmas cosy that’ll fill you with holiday joy. This is my first book in the series but I had no problem understanding what was happening.

Former private investigator Sadie has an overflowing plate this Christmas. She’s prepping for an epic holiday gathering for her huge blended family. But now, there’s a mystery in the mix! Someone has stolen expensive antique Christmas tree ornaments from Mary, Sadie’s elderly friend. Mary lives in a care facility and this will probably be her last Christmas so Sadie hides the theft from her. Mary wants to enjoy her ornaments for one last Christmas before she gives them to her beloved great-granddaughter after Christmas Eve Mass. With time ticking, Sadie must recover Mary’s precious ornaments before it’s too late!

I wasn’t expecting such a sweet and deep story but this book strikes all the right chords to really move you! Kilpack skilfully handles issues of death, making amends, and family against the backdrop of the warmth and hope of the holiday season.

This book is a true cosy. It’s super clean with no violence. I really like the mystery of the missing ornaments and I loved learning about their history. I enjoyed Sadie’s culinary adventures as well as her sleuthing and shenanigans! There are several viable and well-written suspects and the plot takes some interesting turns. I really didn’t guess the culprit until the big reveal.

However, I wish the plot was more exciting with more tension and suspense. I had no doubt that Sadie would save the day. However, this didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the book. The lack of tension actually adds to the gentleness of the book and I think this will appeal to readers who are looking for an easy and quiet read.

The characters are all memorable and well-crafted. I like Sadie but her anxiety and judging attitude isn’t entirely relatable and sometimes irritated me. Mary’s storyline is touching and sad. I loved her interactions with Sadie, as well as beloved great-granddaughter Joy and somewhat estranged daughter Ivy. I like that there is meaningful and organic growth for all these characters.

I absolutely love the delicious festive recipes! I like that they’re meaningfully placed at the end of the chapters that the food was mentioned in. I love that so many of them are approachable and I can’t wait to make Sadie’s Candy Cane Crinkles or her Cinnamon Pie.

The Candy Cane Caper is a sweet cosy that’ll put you in the Christmas frame of mind. This is the first Kilpack book that I’ve read and I will definitely check out more in this series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for this book in exchange for an honest review.

🎅🎅🎅🎅 Santa Clauses out of 5!

#the candy cane caper #josi s. kilpack #cozy mystery #cozy mystery series #food recipes #food #mystery #book review #book #books #book reviews #NetGalley #women's fiction

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arcisfoodblog · 4 years

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Next stop on Vancouver Island: 3 days to explore BC’s surfer’s paradise Tofino, and the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

The 225km / 140 miles getting from Courtenay to Tofino took us about 4½ hours, excluding our excellent lunch stop in Port Alberni at Twin City Brewing Company (4503 Margaret St), and was a bit longer than planned due to some road work congestion.

We started our trip on the coastal scenic Highway 19A up to Qualicum Beach. At Coombs, we turned south on Highway 4, and after 125km / 80 miles, you will arrive at a T-Junction. You either turn left to Ucluelet or keep following the (now) Pacific Rim Highway to arrive in Tofino after about 30km / 22 miles.

After checking into our Airbnb home pretty much opposite Cox Bay Beach, we drove down to Tofino to enjoy the weather and explore Downtown.

We decided to have early dinner on the at Wolf In The Fog (150 4th Street). The overall quality is pretty good, but the number of restaurants in Tofino is definitely not equipped for the summer holiday surge of people. Therefore, do make your reservations (or alternatively dine early or be prepared to wait about an hour in line for a table around dinner time).

We were early so we got seated on the first-floor patio. Consequently, we had a great view of the quaint town and spotted a couple of bald eagles soaring over the restaurant to boot.

We didn’t go for any appetizers, but I did want to try their specialty Potato Crusted Oyster. Despite happy gulping down the occasional oysters, it turns out that, texturally, fried ones are definitely not my thing. I had better luck with my main dish: pan-fried Ling Cod served with a great Moroccan-style Chickpea and Tomato stew. Chantal had a delicious Tuna Poke, and we chose 8oz(!) pours of local Canadian wines, a 2017 Chardonnay by Bartier Bros (Oliver, BC), and a 2017 Sauvignon Blanc by Clos du Soleil (Similkameen, BC). The kids had a go at the House Made Pasta, which that day was made with fried Chicken, Mushrooms, and Sage.

The kids had actually done their homework on what to do in Tofino and had selected Tofino Licks for their fancy Soft Serves. We thought it was close-by Wolf In The Fog, but unfortunately, their old address was still included in Google Maps. Consequently, we had to walk from one end of the town’s center to the opposite end (220 Campbell St) to find Tofino Licks in a mini food court operating from sea containers, which consisted of several eateries, and a juice bar.

We loved this concept, and we can’t wait for it to start trending in the Netherlands. Pairing their smooth organic soft-serve ice-cream with delicious toppings from local artisans and restaurants turned out great. We had ones topped with the Chilli Chocolate Diablo Cookie by Tacofino (the original food truck of this Mexican eatery emporium is still just outside Tofino), Sobo‘s key lime pie and RedCan Gourmet‘s fudge brownie.

Unfortunately, the sky became cloudier close to sunset, but our beach walk on Cox Bay Beach was terrific, and the views from the aptly-named Sunset Point were still magnificent.

The next day, the weather changed for the worse (or more to a more normal state we were told), so we decided to drive 30 minutes to nearby Ucluelet. As it started to rain very hard, we only visited the small yet super nice Aquarium (180 Main St) and did some grocery shopping.

Afterward, we returned to our Airbnb and spent the rest of the afternoon doing some laundry, reading books, and sampling some of the BC brews that we accumulated along the way.

Another dinner option we had scoped out on our first walk through town was Kuma Tofino (101-120 4th St). We had a lot of luck to be seated within 15 minutes at a 6-person communal table, but the remaining 2 seats were not allocated during our dinner. We started the oddly refreshing Gin Pop Pop cocktail, combining the local Tofino gin, Calpico (a Japanese milk-based beverage), Grove Seedlip, Cucumber, and Citrus. Chantal was still in beer-mode and chose a Sapporo King Can. The kids had a Yuzu Lemonade, of which the sweet/sour balance was just spot on for them.

There were some Ramen Noodles ordered, and other dishes were ordered based on the family-style sharing concept. Everything was well received, so highly recommended!

Veggie ramen (Mushroom-Ginger broth, Agedashi Tofu, Cabbage, pickled Shiitakes, and a marinated Egg)

House ramen (Shio-based double Broth, Braised Pork Belly, marinated Egg, Kale, and Nori)

Chicken Karaage (crunchy garlic Chicken, house-made Spicy Mayo, and Yuzu-infused Salt)

Tuna Tataki (seared line-caught local Albacore Tuna, Ponzu, Wasabi Mayo, Ginger, Garlic, and Green Onions)

Okonomiyaki (Osaka-style Cabbage Pancake, Bacon, Cheddar, Tonkatsu sauce, Kewpie mayo, and Bonito flakes)

Miso Braised Beef (soft-boiled Egg, crispy-fried Rice ball, Kale, and Miso Mustard sauce). The latter was eye-watering Wasabi strength deliciousness!

Our last morning in Tofino was spent walking the 2 loops of the Rainforest Trail of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, located at the south end of Long Beach close to the Kwisitis Visitor Centre. The trail has two routes, one on each side of the highway, and they are very popular (and the parking limited!) as they are obviously located in a stretch of temperate Rainforest.

This was a first for us, and as it was already raining, the humidity was overwhelming at first (“Fôret Humide” indeed). The temperature was actually quite agreeable, and the elevated walkways and stairs lead us through an astonishing and lush forest with thick green foliage wherever you look.

After this fabulous hike, we visited the Tofino Brewing Company (691 Industrial Way) for some refreshments. We had already tried their Kelp Stout back in Vancouver, so we were looking forward to sampling their other beers. From the flights with all of their beers, we liked the Tuff Session Ale, Blond Ale, and Dimension Ascension Dry Hopped Pale Ale best.

Unfortunately, the food options are limited to some snacks and not enough for a proper lunch. We did have some nibbles with the beers (maple-cured smoked salmon of their neighbors, West Pacific Seafoods, and some artisan pepperoni sticks from Port Alberni’s Pete’s Moutain Meats). As the kids were not a fan, we soon decided to head over 1 lot to Summit Bread Company (681 Industrial Way, Units C&D) to get some fantastic artisanal bread and pastries before heading back to our Airbnb.

Now knowing the drill in summertime Tofino, we had already made reservations for dinner at Shelter Restaurant (601 Campbell St).

Shelter Mule (Cucumber Vodka, Mint, Lime, Ginger Beer) & Frozen Bellini.

As shared appetizers, we chose the Buttermilk Fried Chicken (Farmhouse Chicken Thighs & Maple-Honey Soy glaze, pickled candy cane Beets, and fresh Dill) and Crispy Brussels Sprouts (Toasted Bread Crumbs, and Grana Padano).

To our surprise, our oldest wanted the Steak & Frites as his main course (225g / 8oz flat iron steak, Truffle Parmesan fries, Arugula, Chive Gremolata, red Wine Jus), while our youngest wasn’t all that adventurous by resorting to the – not depicted – Shelter Beef Burger (crispy Bacon, smoked Cheddar, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Pickle, Mayo, Red Pepper Relish).

Chantal had a Kale Caesar Salad (Chopped Kale, Romaine, fried Capers, Black Pepper & Garlic Croutons, Grana Padano, fresh Lemon).

I had the Panko Crusted Lingcod Burger (Cabbage, Apple & Miso Slaw, pickled Jalapeño & Crispy Onions, Soy Dijon Mayo), with a side of Truffle Fries and Parmesan Dijon Mayo.

Shelter Restaurant was one of the places that were packed every single day from late afternoon through late. And for a reason: the drinks, food, and service were excellent and we had a delightful last evening in Tofino.

Around the World – British Columbia Roadtrip (2019) – Tofino Next stop on Vancouver Island: 3 days to explore BC's surfer's paradise Tofino, and the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

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olicitysecretsanta · 6 years

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Olicity Secret Santa 2017 Masterpost

Hi, Lovelies!

Holidays are (almost) over and so is our little project this year. I hope you all had fun participating and got the gifts you wished for - here and outside of Tumblr.

We want to thank everyone for participating with these wonderful gifts. If you have any suggestions for how to improve things, so more people can join in or it’s getting easier for the participants, we are always open for suggestion.

Now, to make sure no gift is overlooked, here is a masterlist of all the gifts that were submitted:

Fics

Easy as cake by @felicitysollie for @sadfangirl05

I could live by the light in your eyes by @iwannabewithyou-unsafe for @smoak-and-mirrors

Interrupted by @sarahreesemd for @cherchersketch

We’ve got tonight by @just-arrowolicity for @effie214

If the fates allow by @effie214 for @crazycrystal10

Cold December Night by @sparklesannie for @multi-fandom-crazy-fangirl

Little Cocoon of Forever by @multi-fandom-crazy-fangirl for @wetsuiton

A Holiday for Two by @olicitysmoaky for @the-silverforked-sky

A forgotten holiday by @onceuponanolicity for @blackcanarydinah

That’s Christmas to me by @smkkbert for @magda1102

Better with you by @lgtwinkie99 for @bitchwhwifi

My lovely Olicity - A poem by @jaspertown for @lgtwinkie99

On the run by @sadfangirl05 for @feilcityqueen

William’s first Hanukkah by @imusuallyobsessed for @fistis

A Christmas (Tree) to remember by @lovejesusarrowavengersblog for @bri617aroundtheworld

Unbreak my heart by @tdgal1 for @shaniartist

Having fun by @wetsuition by @hope-for-olicity

Mystery Solved by @ginervamariechaseeverdeen for @felicityollies

(x) by @bitchwhwifi for @wherethereissmoak

Holiday Traditions for @wherethereissmoak for @ginervamariechaseeverdeen

Rings by @sweetme86 for @tdgal1

Matched by @spaztronautwriter for @emeraldoliverqueen

Second Date Update by @emeraldoliverqueen for @redpensandgreenarrows

This I swear by @blackcanarydinah for @oliverfel4

A very magical Christmas by @hope-for-olicity for @nerdyandturdy

Love has everything to do with it by @nerdyandturdy for @iwannabewithyou

The little green secret by @green-arrows-of-karamel for @purselover2

First kiss by @purselover2 for @dreamsofolicity

Sparks and flutters by @christinabeggs for @bowsmoakandarrow

Metamorphosis by @it-was-a-red-heeler for @bandanab310

The Betting Games by @katanaxqueen for @sarahreesemd

Holiday Glitter by @crazycrystal10 for @vaelisamaza

By your side by @jedichick04 for @queeningrid

‘Twas The Night Before Christmas by @misscrazyfangirl321 for @bazingagubicorn

The great candy cane caper by @sparklesannie for @jedichick04

(x) by @bowsmoakandarrow for @laureningall

Don’t go to bed angry by @laureningall for @jaspertown

The sounds of Christmas by @bandanab310 for @lageniuswannabe

Planning by @lageniuswannabe for @gohstfoxgoddess

William’s Dad by @cruzrogue for @queeningrid

Freeze, Frame, Pause, Rewind, Stop by @bri617aroundtheworld for @olicitysmoaky

Finding my way back to you by @insecureneuroticcontrolfreakk for @alanna-the-lionheart

Up in flames by @lovejesusarrowavengersblog for @missyriver

A tree full of hope by @vaelisamaza for @onceuponanolicity

An unexpected family by @alanna-the-lionheart for @bokayjunkie

Twitterpated by @jennonthewire by @imusuallyobsessed

Fanarts and edits

(x) by @oliverfel4 for @speechgirl22

(x) by @fistis for @charlinert

(x) by @cherchersketch for @sweetme86

(x) by @shaniartist for @misscrazyfangirl321

(x) by @canadianbeauty2 for @mel-loves-all

(x) by @mel-loves-all for @smoakmonster

(x) by @gohstfoxgoddess for @spaztronautwriter

(x) by @magda1102 for @just-arrowolicity

Gifs

Every breath, every hour has come to this... by @feilcityqueen for @fallingmeleth

We were strangers on a crazy adventure by @fallingmeleth for @stellahellaviola

Olicity * “I love you” by @dreamsofolicity for @eloquence-of-felicities

I belong to you by @the-silverforked-sky for @canadianbeauty2

(x) by @stellahellaviola for @missyriver

Won’t give up by @smoak-and-mirrors for @smoakedvigilanties

(x) by @bokayjunkie for @katanaxqueen

olicity + vehicles by @turtlejustice for @jennonthewire

Merry Christmukkah from the Smoak-Queen family by @bazingagubicorn for @cruzrogue

True love is by @charlinert to @christinabeggs

The key to success by @redpensandgreenarrows for @green-arrows-of-karamel

We three Queens by @smoakmonster for @smkkbert

Videos

(x) by @valery6488 from @it-was-a-red-heeler

*because of some technical difficulties, this video wasn’t available on our blog, but here it is now.

Playlists

(x) by @speechgirl22 for @valery6488

(x) by @eloquence-of-felicities for @turtlejustice

Leather & Lace by @smoakedvigilanties for @insecureneuroticcontrolfreakk

#olicity secret santa 2017 #olicity #arrow

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ao3feed-oliverfelicity · 6 years

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The Great Candy Cane Caper

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2BZl4PP

by jedichick04

Oliver shares his favorite Christmas traditions with his family over two very different Christmases. Mild spoilers for 6x09.

Words: 3793, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Arrow (TV 2012)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M

Characters: Oliver Queen, Felicity Smoak, John Diggle, Thea Queen, William Clayton (Arrow)

Relationships: Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak

Additional Tags: Fluff, Christmas Fluff, Original Team Arrow, Christmas traditions

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2BZl4PP

#ao3feed #fanfic #olicity #arrow #oliver x felicity

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carmineri · 7 years

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Menus for the Disney Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure

By Rikki Niblett

©Disney

The Disney Festival of Holidays is returning once again to Disney California Adventure and it is bringing a ton of great new food and beverage options courtesy of Festive Food Markets and Disney ¡Viva Navidad!. These booths are similar to what Guests experience during the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, but these options all have a holiday flare to them.

This year, there are 12 different marketplaces during the Disney Festival of Holidays that are found throughout. In addition, there are a few other unique options for Disney ¡Viva Navidad!. Here’s a look at what you can expect!

Chips, Breads & Holiday Spreads

Chicken Liver Paté with cherry jam and pistachios

Cranberry-Pear Tart with rosemary-infused cream

White Chocolate-Dipped Lingonberry Speculoos Cookie

Chorizo Queso Fundido with house-made tortilla chips

Making Spirits Bright

White Cranberry, Pear and Blood Orange Mimosa Flight (Also sold individually)

White Wine Flight with Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand; Fess Parker Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County; and Bertenura Moscato, Italy (Kosher) (Also sold individually)

Red Wine Flight with Castle Rock Pinot Noir, Reserve, Russian River Valley; Joel Gott Zinfandel, California; and Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County (Also sold individually)

Chandon Sparkling Wine, Brut, California

Red & White Rotational Wine Selection

Joy to the Sauce

Seared Salmon Filet with lemon-caper sauce

Beef Short Rib with mashed potatoes and gravy and topped with cranberry sauce

Sticky Toffee Pudding with brandied vanilla sauce

Conundrum White Wine Blend, California

Rodney Strong Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley

Holiday Eggnog Cocktail with whipped cream and nutmeg

Apple Lemonade with whipped cream and caramel

Spicy Celebrations

Nashville Fried Hot Turkey with dill pickles

Beef Corn Tamale a la Plancha with spicy rojo sauce

Spicy Peanut Brittle

Pomegranate Margarita with a chipotle-smoked sea salt half-rim

Winter Michelada with Modela Negra and a brown sugar rim

Modela Negra Lager, Mexico

Brews & Bites

Sliced Calabrese Salami with crackers

Warm Bavarian Pretzel with whole-grain Dijon mustard

Beer Flight: For a Snowy Day with Victory Prima Pilsner, New Belgium Accumulation White IPA, Aftershock Oatmeal Rasin Cookie Ale and Great Divide Hibernation Ale (Also sold individually)

Beer Flight: For a Sunny Day with TAPS The American Cream Ale, Brewery Ommegang Witte, Backstreet Raspberry Sour and Refuge West Coast Red Ale (Also sold individually)

Stone Brewing IPA

Unsung Naturia Double IPA

Karl Strauss Holiday Porter

Holiday Duets

Macaroni and Cheese with cornbread crumbles

Warm Polenta with chilled crab salad

Cookie Butter and Jelly Cheesecake

Holiday Mickey and Minnie Cookies

Pomegranate Mule garnished with pomegranate seeds and rosemary sprig

Fever Tree Ginger Beer (non-alcoholic)

Warm Chocolate Float with whipped cream and brownie crumbles

Classic Crocks and Casseroles

Chana Masala with grilled garlic naan

Green Bean and Mushroom Casserole with crispy onions

Milk Chocolate Candy Cane Pot de Crème Cup

Ice Green Mint Tea with mint sprig

Blissfully Braised

Braised Pork Belly Adobo with garlic fried rice

Braised Lamb Cheeks with Mediterranean cauliflower

Fruit and Nut Rugelach

Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co., Hoppy Poppy IPA

ACE Premium Craft Hard Apple Cider

A Twist on Tradition

Reuben Potato Smash with Russian dressing and rye toast crumble

Butternut Squash and Almond Pakora Fritters

Chocolate Yule Log with candied chestnuts and clementine compote

Horchata Fudge

Pumpkin Spice Float Cocktail with cream liqueur, vanilla ice cream and pumpkin seed brittle

Frosty Frosé – Frozen Rosé with blue curacao and white cranberry juice with mint sprig

Winter Sliderland

Holiday Ham Slider with pineapple relish

Roast Turkey Slider with cranberry sauce

Egg Nog Macaron

Hot Buttered Rum with a cinnamon stick

La Crema Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley

Festive Beer Flight with Bottle Logic Brewing (714), Blonde Ale; Oaskar Blues Brewery Pinner, IPA; Barley Forge Brewing Co. The Patsy, Coconut Rye Stout; and Modern Times Fruitlands, Passionfruit and Guava Gose (Also sold individually)

White Hot Chocolate with house-made cinnamon marshmallow

Grandma’s Recipes

Grilled Chicken Sausage with red beans and rice

Beef Brisket with brown sugar-glazed carrots

Sweet Potato Pie

Molasses Gingerbread Cookie

Merry Cherry-Pineapple Punch with assorted jellies

Warm Bourbon Cider with bourbon-infused marshmallow

Festive Holiday Extras

Brussels Sprouts with goat cheese, cranberries and bacon

Baked Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Pineapple Kesari with golden raisins

Holiday Sherbet Punch with flavors of pineapple, lime and orange

Ballast Point Brewing Company Piper Down, Scottish Ale, San Diego

Treats for Santa

Mickey Snowman Cookie Decorating Kit

Warm Bourbon Cider

White Hot Chocolate

Disney ¡Viva Navidad! at Paradise Garden Grill

Street Tacos – Trio of corn tortilla tacos filled with carnitas, carne asada and chicken, topped with white onion and fresh cilantro, served with lime-cilantro rice and black beans

Chicken Mole Plate – Chicken slowly cooked in Mole Sauce, garnished with cotija cheese, served with lime-cilantro rice and tortillas

Burrito – Flour tortilla filled with black beans, lime-cilantro rice and choice of carne asada, carnitas, or chicken with salsa and Mexican crema

Torta al Pastor – Soft telera roll, chorizo beans, al pastor, cabbage, guacamole and Mexican crema

House-Made Pozole – Mild chile and pork stew with hominy and oregano, topped with sliced radishes

Buñuelos – Two golden fried flour tortillas dusted with cinnamon sugar, served with a side of cajeta

Kid’s Cheese Quesadilla

Kid’s Street-Style Taco – Corn tortilla taco filled with choice of carne asada, chicken or carnitas, topped with white onion and fresh cilantro, served with lime-cilantro rice and black beans topped with queso blanco, served with choice of small lowfat milk or small Dasani® Water

Dos Equis Lager

Dos Equis Ambar

Red Sangria

Corona

Negra Modelo

Disney ¡Viva Navidad! at Paradise Pier Carts

Elote – Street-style corn with mayonnaise, parmesan cheese and tajin

Horchata – Sweet rice beverage with a hint of vanilla and cinnamon

Jamaica – Traditional slightly sweetened hibiscus tea

Chicharrón – Puffed wheat wagon wheel, tapatio and lime wedges

Strawberry Paleta – Fresa (strawberry) fruit bar

Sounds like some great dishes! Which ones are you most excited to try?

Menus for the Disney Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

from TouringPlans.com Blog http://ift.tt/2zrXRqG

#TouringPlans.com Blog

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olicitysecretsanta · 6 years

Text

The Great Candy Cane Caper

Title: The Great Candy Cane Caper

Author: @jedichick04

Rating: T

Summary: Oliver shares his favorite Christmas traditions with his family over two very different Christmases.

A/N: Mild spoilers through 6x09.

*****

December 24, 2017

“Merry Christmas, Auntie Thea!”

William nodded. “There’s more than enough food for Christmas Eve dinner tonight, and for Christmas tomorrow. Are you really spending the night tonight? Dad said you were. Oh–I should go help him some more. He was going to teach me how to properly mash potatoes.”

They both settled in at the counter, talking about everything and nothing as they sipped at their wine. Oliver went back to cooking, trying not to look up too often at his little sister and his wife interacting. He still felt like the last month was something out of a dream, from his sister waking up from her coma to Barry and Iris’s wedding (and all that entailed) to Felicity asking him to marry her right there in the park to celebrating it with their friends and family. There had been plenty of negatives, too–his arrest and the team breaking up being the two major negatives–but overall, for the first time in a very long time, Oliver had everything that he wanted in his life.

He could really get used to this foreign feeling of contentment.

He frowned for a moment, trying to recall what she was talking about–these days, so much of what had happened in those first months and years after the island felt like it had happened to someone else entirely. But as he remembered exactly what had happened, he grinned in response. “I thought you were insane. Adorable, but insane.”

“I should have realized even then that you were my happy story,” Oliver said softly. Felicity rewarded him with another kiss, which was interrupted only when Thea cleared her throat loudly.

“Save it for after dinner, newlyweds. I’m starving.”

Both Oliver and Felicity smiled and broke apart. Oliver went to get the last dish of food, Felicity poured him a glass of wine, and before long they were all digging into their Christmas Eve dinner.

*****

Five years earlier

Felicity was right.

It was a nice restaurant, but not one he typically frequented. The reason he even knew about it was because he’d come here with John and Felicity after the first mission she’d worked out in the field with them. The Dodger case. Felicity had been visibly shaken up after having a bomb collar around her neck and joked about going out for margaritas. At the time, John and Oliver had exchanged a quick look and agreed to a drink, mostly to keep an eye on her and make sure she was really okay. So tonight, when they had wrapped things up in the Foundry and Felicity had cajoled the two of them into drinks to celebrate Oliver’s safe return from facing Cyrus Gold, they ended up back at that same spot.

Felicity was two margaritas in when the conversation took a turn Oliver hadn’t expected.

“What are your favorite holiday traditions?” she asked, looking between John and Oliver.

John already had his beer to his mouth, which left Oliver wide open to answer. But even as he took a breath to speak, he found a warm finger pressed against his lips, and the scent of Felicity filling his personal space. He had grown very familiar with that scent in the last few months, working with her as his personal assistant, and warning bells were going off in his brain as he struggled not to focus on how nice her finger felt against his lips–or how very blue her eyes looked behind her glasses right now.

He was enough caught up in his struggle that he almost didn’t hear her command. “Don’t say mistletoe. We already know all about the beautiful island girls on fantasy island.”

Oliver blinked in confusion, not at all helped by John’s snort of laughter. He pulled back from her finger, narrowing his eyes as he tried to figure out what she just said. “What?”

She waved her hand, as if physically brushing off her comment. “If it’s all about kissing, I don’t want to hear about it. That’s all. So what are your favorite holiday traditions, that don’t include kissing?”

John was still chuckling, which left Oliver no less confused about her fantasy island comment. But he pushed aside that concern for now–writing it off as the tequila talking–and answered how he had originally meant to answer. “Candy canes.”

“What do you mean, candy canes?” Felicity asked, squinting her eyes at him in concentration. “That doesn’t even make sense.”

Oliver shrugged. He wasn’t used to opening up, and just a few weeks ago he’d already had to tell John and Felicity about Sara Lance surviving the shipwreck. But it wasn’t just anybody asking. The determined blonde who, just a few hours ago had told him he “looked like a hero” when he put on a mask, was staring him down.

“My sister and I, we always would race each other to see who could finish the candy canes first,” Oliver explained. He felt himself relaxing a little into the topic as he spoke. Felicity had a way of bringing that out in him, without even trying. “And then we would watch It’s a Wonderful Life until we’d both fall asleep. I think we both finally made it to the end the year she turned twelve.” That was the last Christmas they’d had together, before the island. Oliver didn’t mention that part out loud, knowing it would instantly dampen the mood.

Felicity stared at him for a long moment, long enough that Oliver found himself shifting nervously in his seat. Without comment, she finished the rest of her margarita and waved for their waitress. “We’re ready for our checks,” she said without asking John or Oliver. “We have someplace else to be.”

The two men exchanged a glance as they drained the rest of their beers. “Where are we going?” Oliver ventured to ask.

“You’ll see,” she replied with a pleased smile. She refused to say anymore as they paid their bills.

As they were leaving the restaurant, John muttered, “I’m glad I didn’t mention any of my holiday traditions.”

*****

Five stops later and Felicity was clearly losing her tequila buzz. Her determination had only intensified.

“You did almost buy the chocolate mint ones,” John pointed out as he started the car.

Felicity ignored his comment. “There’s nothing else for it,” she said. “We’re going to have to steal them.”

“Felicity–” Oliver had been amused when this had all started–and in a way, deeply flattered that Felicity’s single minded mission since they had left the restaurant was to find a box of peppermint candy canes. But there was a line between ‘fun’ and ‘doing what the bad guys do’, and Felicity was announcing that she was crossing it.