(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 chapters edited smoothly. https://www.p.atreon.com/INeedRest)
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Ps: We reached chapter 50 on p.atreon!
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Why did Allen say that to her?
Well… Corpses were everywhere!
Well, not actual corpses, but the room sure looked like the aftermath of a battlefield.
All kinds of sports shoes and high heels were scattered across the floor like casualties of war.
Suitcases of varying sizes formed chaotic barricades around the living room, taking up most of the available space.
The sofa was buried beneath a chaotic mountain of mismatched clothes, no complete sets of underwear in sight, and silk stockings were draped haphazardly across furniture, walls, and even the lamp like bizarre flags of surrender.
Although Allen had always considered himself adaptable, and capable of enduring any strange or messy environment, this still pushed his limits.
At the very least, there should've been a clear path to walk through the room, right?
Felicity's face turned bright red in an instant.
Still trying to catch her breath from the stairs, she rushed into the room like a squirrel avoiding traffic, leaping over piles of clutter with the agility of someone used to navigating the chaos. She began clearing things away in a flustered panic, but her cleaning method was... less than refined.
Rather than sorting or organizing, she simply shoved everything into a single messy heap, creating a new kind of disaster in one corner of the room.
Allen couldn't take it anymore.
"Don't mix in the worn stockings," he said, frowning as he reached out to separate a particularly stretched-out one from a pile of shirts.
"Got any garbage bags? Bring a few more."
"You still want this? Don't just toss it randomly. If the living room looks like this, I'm scared to even imagine the bedroom. Go clean that up before I call for backup."
Without hesitation, Allen took command of the situation.
His tone left no room for discussion, and Felicity, too embarrassed to argue, nodded and scrambled toward the bedroom with her head down, ready to tackle the mess in there.
They divided the labor efficiently: Allen stayed in the living room while Felicity handled the bedroom.
For the next hour, the only sounds were the rustling of bags, the clatter of things being rearranged, and occasional sighs of disbelief.
By the time they were done, they had filled three massive garbage bags, and the transformation was nothing short of a miracle.
Slumped on the couch in a classic tired pose, both of them sat in silence for a moment, exhausted but satisfied.
The once disaster zone of a living room was now clean, open, and even kind of cozy.
Felicity looked around, amazed.
"It suddenly feels like the living room's a lot bigger."
"That's because there's less garbage taking up the space," Allen replied dryly, a smirk tugging at his lips.
Felicity pouted, trying to defend herself.
"I just moved in, okay? I haven't had time to organize everything yet."
"I'm hungry, you?" Allen said, turning his head toward her.
Grrr-grrr~
Felicity's stomach answered before she could.
She smiled sheepishly. "Wanna order takeout? I know a great place, best noodles in town."
"Whatever," Allen replied indifferently as he reached for the remote and flicked on the TV like he owned the place.
Felicity, after finishing the order, glanced at her phone, and then at Allen, who was now sprawled comfortably in front of the TV like a long-time roommate.
She blinked.
Hold on a second, wasn't he the guy who hijacked her car?
Didn't she plan to call the police the moment she had a chance? And yet here he was, helping clean up, flipping through channels, and waiting for dinner like everything was perfectly normal.
How did things turn from "potential hostage crisis" to "roommate vibes" so fast?
How in the world did this bizarre and completely non-violent change even happen?
"How long until it gets here?" Allen asked, breaking her out of her daze.
"About half an hour," Felicity replied after a quick glance at her phone.
"Then you can go take a shower first. I'll go in after you. Food should be here by the time we're done."
"Oh... okay."
Still half-dazed, Felicity nodded and headed for the bathroom.
As she walked, her thoughts kept circling back to Allen.
From the moment he jumped into her car till now, he hadn't done anything threatening.
Nothing violent, nothing weird, aside from casually acting like they were roommates.
If he were really dangerous, would he have spent the last hour sorting through her trash and folding clothes?
Maybe it was all a misunderstanding… maybe she shouldn't call the police just yet.
'Yeah, I'm still in control, I'll wait and see'
The sound of running water echoed from the bathroom while Allen sat quietly in the living room, eyes on the screen, but his mind scanned for any relevant intel on Starling City.
If he would sum it up in a word: boring.
The local news was a flood of fluff pieces, lost pets, bake sales, and uninspiring traffic updates.
The crime section was similarly dull: a few petty thefts, and a minor explosion downtown.
Nothing worth his attention.
There was a short segment on Gotham, something about Bane being taken out and the city beginning to rebuild.
Allen perked up slightly when he caught a glimpse of Barbara Gordon, appearing in the background of a report.
But that was it.
Eventually, the water stopped, and a few moments later, Felicity stepped out of the bathroom.
Out of habit, she strolled into the living room wrapped in nothing but a towel, hair damp and sticking to her skin.
But the second she saw Allen standing there, her eyes widened.
'I enjoyed the bath too much I forgot about this guy!'
With a yelp, she turned to bolt back into her bedroom.
But in her haste,
Thud!
She tripped over her own feet and faceplanted onto the carpet.
Groaning, she clutched her towel tightly as it threatened to betray her.
Peeking up from the floor, she saw Allen walking casually past her without a word, headed straight into the bathroom.
Click!
The door shut behind him.
Felicity lay there for a second, her face burning so hot it could have steamed the water right off her skin.
'He didn't even glance at me…'
Ten minutes later, Allen emerged.
He was shirtless, wearing only shorts, and toweling his wet hair dry as he strolled back into the living room.
Felicity, now fully dressed and seated rigidly on the sofa like a schoolgirl in the principal's office, froze the moment Allen sat down beside her.
She didn't even blink.
Her back straightened, her posture stiffened, and her gaze locked onto the TV like she was trying to burn a hole in it.
Every fiber of her being screamed awkward tension.
'What's going on, why I this guy half naked?'
Ding-dong!
The doorbell saved her from imploding.
Felicity leaped to her feet and all but sprinted to answer it.
After paying and bringing the food back, she sat down again, though now she looked more like a nervous guest than the actual homeowner.
Meanwhile, Allen had already cracked open a takeout box and was digging in like he'd lived there for years.
The sun dipped below the horizon, and the soft light of evening filled the apartment.
Time passed. The two enjoyed watching the TV and talking.
The tension slowly faded that way.
Eventually, the day wound down and it was time to rest.
Felicity sat on the edge of her bed, phone in hand, swiping mindlessly as she tried to settle her thoughts.
She was just starting to relax when,
Creak.
The bedroom door opened.
Allen walked in.
"W-What are you doing?" Felicity's voice came out high and panicked.
"Sleep?" Allen said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"But… there's only one bed."
"So? You want me to sleep on the floor?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and flashing a teasing grin.
Felicity's face twisted in concern.
She didn't catch the teasing at all.
"The couch... wouldn't the floor be too hard for your back?"
Allen exhaled dramatically.
"I have a condition, can't sleep on couches…"
"Don't worry, I'll try to restrain myself."
Felicity blinked.
"Restrain... yourself?"
'Restrain yourself from what exactly?'