#ask Smoak & Arrow

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

Arrow 3x1 | The Rookie 6x6

[jbuffyangel]

Hey Jen, I've been rewatching One Tree Hill a bit lately and is it wrong that I get a lot of Olicity vibes from Nathan/Haley (Naley) and that pre-character development Nathan reminds me a LOT of pre-island Ollie? There was even that one episode where it was revealed that he and Brooke did that s*x tape together and his "nobody will ever know" response even sounds like a good parallel to Ollie's smarmy "your sister will never know" response when he and Sara are fooling around on Robert's boat.

I never considered that Nonnie but you make a good point. Nathan and Haley are one of the great examples of a B storyline romance being the steady anchor for the whole show. But Nathan Scott's glow up is unparalleled. He goes from a slutty, selfish, douchebag bully to the superior Scott brother. It is a very similar trajectory to Oliver's journey and both men discover their true selves by being with their true love. SWOON.

[anthonysbane]

Don't ask me to say that I don't love you.

[ao3statistics]

Can you do a chart for Ray Palmer?

This is self-made. Date: 31.07.2024

Here you go, anon! I wasn't sure what kind of chart you wanted but just assumed you meant a ship chart since I've mostly been doing those the last few days.

I assume no guarantee or liability for the completeness, correctness and accuracy of this chart despite my best efforts.

Includes fanfictions in all languages available on Ao3, NOT English only.

Includes all fandoms connected to the name "Ray Palmer".

Percentages were rounded up or rounded down to natural numbers for easier comprehension.

Poly ships were included.

More charts will follow. :)

Want to have a chart for different pairings, headcanons etc. in your favourite fandom? Send me an ask!

[the-feral-gremlin]

Felicity Smoak. You wrote about Felicity Smoak in your last sentence written game. :0

HER <3 I love her and I HATE how the fandom constantly shits on her. ANYWAYS here’s some headcannons you probably didn’t ask for (I really like talking about felicity.)

Her College arc and during Oliver’s prison arc was not the first time she dyed her hair. Her cousin is a hairdresser and she often volunteered to let her practice.

Lyla and her hang out by going to the ARGUS shooting range and blasting music.

After College and everything around it, she kinda didn’t know what to do with her life so she took a gap year and worked in tech support for a while.

Hates when her partners or any of the team members don’t answer the comms.

Waited by the door everyday after school for Noah show up but never did.

Tech/coding was always an escape and comfort from reality (also a special interest since she was young.)

All her pencils and pens have teeth marks on them. (A Stim she developed when she was younger and didn’t really care to stop, she liked the chewlry she collected as well. Oliver got her an hard drive shaped one once and he had to cover his ears due to how loud she squealed.)

Wrote fanfics (specifically supernatural and hunger games.)

[blazethecheeto]

What songs remind you of felicity smoak? if you don’t mind me asking.

OFC I DON'T MIND YOU ASKING

1. Soap - Melanie Martinez

this is kinda obvious because like hello it's basically her rambling and saying stuff she did not want to come out of her mouth-

Uh-oh, there it goes I said too much, it overflowed Why do I always spill?

-

2. Mean - Taylor Swift

this is such a felicity song, especially with her backstory (that we needed more of).

Someday, I'll be living in a big old city And all you're ever gonna be is mean

-

3. The Scientist - Coldplay

again, even though she's technically not a scientist, this song has her vibes written all over it.

I was just guessing at numbers and figures Pulling the puzzles apart Questions of science, science and progress Do not speak as loud as my heart

-

4. Prom Queen - Beach Bunny

i'm now seeing the arrowverse playlists are filled with my old music taste it's really humbling- anyways THIS SONG SOUNDS LIKE HER??

Dissect my insecurities I'm a defect, surgical project

-

5. I Just Died - FIZZ

this song's so awkward (in a good way) and catchy, i feel like it's very felicity coded.

I was thinking you'd say "What a move! You're such a dream! Spontaneity, you spicy queen!

[madwomanwithawarehouse]

I am so intrigued by “Wish I Could Keep You”

Thank you for the ask (and the tag)!

You chose an interesting one bc it's a fic I had started working almost exactly 5 years ago and had forgotten about almost entirely until I was doing through my google docs looking for a resume last year and went "huh what is this???" So you might be a bit disappointed, unless I missed something and you were an Arrow fan - since that's what this fic is about.

When I started working on this, I was really into coming up with alternate endings to fics about my favorite character, Felicity Smoak, where she wasn't so forgiving/prioritized somethings more than her romantic relationships.

So I devised a version of her that leaned into a few of her canon traits. Her sense of justice and the rush she gets out of vigilantism became her main priority. Then I darkened her moral grayness a bit and boosted her fear of rejection/abandonment issues to the point of pushing people away to self sabotage. She finally lets herself get a little attached to a couple people by working with Team Arrow and it seems like maybe she won't be alone for once - that she'll be allowed to keep the people she cares about

Then I made her plan kill a bunch of people for [insert semi justifiable reason that I don't remember here] and force Oliver (MC/love interest - also a archer vigilante) have to decide between killing her or letting her commit a mass murder. Here's a nice little bit from that section:

It was weird to see Oliver holding a gun rather than the bow she had spent hours watching him draw back, aim, and shoot. It was so natural it seemed like a part of him. Odd that she would face her demise outside the basement that housed all his secrets, all their shared moments, all the long days and late nights devoted to that bow and those deadly little arrows; and he was pointing a gun at her head.

[teamolicity13]

Title: Starlit Conversations

Parings felicity x Oliver Queen

Word count: Approximately 360 words.

Warning:

This chapter contains themes of vigilante justice, existential contemplation, and emotional vulnerability. There are no explicit warnings for graphic content or mature themes.

Summary In this chapter, Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow, and Felicity Smoak share a quiet moment on a rooftop, discussing the weight of their responsibilities and finding solace in each other's company.

Chapter 1: Midnight Musings

The city of Star City sprawled beneath them, its lights twinkling like distant stars in the night sky. Oliver Queen, alias the Green Arrow, stood vigilant on the rooftop, his thoughts drifting amidst the city's cacophony.

A familiar voice interrupted his reverie, accompanied by the soft padding of footsteps. "Hey, you," Felicity greeted, her presence a welcome interruption to the solitude.

Oliver turned to face her, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Hey, Felicity. What brings you out here?"

Felicity shrugged, a playful glint in her eyes. "Just felt like joining my favorite vigilante for a rooftop rendezvous. Plus, I brought snacks," she added, holding up a bag of chips and a thermos of coffee.

Oliver chuckled, his gaze softening as he looked at her. "You always know how to make an entrance, Felicity."

They settled down on the rooftop, the city's hum a distant murmur beneath the night sky. Felicity handed Oliver a cup of coffee, their fingers brushing briefly in the exchange.

"So, what's on your mind, Oliver?" Felicity asked, her gaze searching his face with gentle curiosity.

Oliver sighed, his shoulders sagging with the weight of his thoughts. "Just...everything, I guess. The city, the constant battle against crime, the never-ending cycle of darkness."

Felicity reached out, her hand finding his and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You're not alone in this, Oliver. We're in this together, remember?"

Oliver nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, I know. It's just...sometimes it feels like the weight of the world is resting on my shoulders."

Felicity's expression softened, her eyes filled with understanding. "I get it, Oliver. But you don't have to carry that weight alone. You have people who care about you, who want to help you shoulder the burden."

Oliver's heart swelled with gratitude at her words, the warmth of her presence like a soothing balm to his weary soul. "Thank you, Felicity. For always being there for me, even when I don't deserve it."

Felicity smiled, her gaze unwavering as she met his eyes. "That's what partners do, Oliver. We support each other, no matter what."

As they sat there together, the city sprawling below them, Oliver and Felicity found solace in each other's presence. In the quiet intimacy of the night, they knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, as long as they had each other, they could weather any storm that came their way.

[jackiequick]

The Flash OC ⚡️

Leanna O’Conner 🌺

Full Name: Leanna Kira O’Conner

Nicknames: Lea, Lana, Anna, Annie, O’Conner, Doc, Darling, Flower

Age depending on the season: 32–38 (but she always looks young for her age)

Height: 5'3

Job: Assistant, Scientist, Detective and overall help of Team Flash

Shows she appears in: The Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, DC Legends Of Tomorrow and etc

Relationships: Ex-boyfriend Eowells and Harrison Wells Earth 2. Currently single.

Friendships: Iris West, Caitlin Snow, Cisco Ramon, Kara Danvers, Barry Allen, Felicity Smoak, Ray Palmer and the list goes on

Power Set: She doesn't have powers but ends up effected by the explosion and timeline change years later. Ends up with really good sense of hearing, enhanced listening which comes in handy.

~~~~~

Leanna was hired by Dr. Harrison Wells to be his little helper knowing she also has a background in science and tech, with a strong heart. That moment he knew she was someone who keep an eye on.

She quickly became friends with Caitlin, Ronnie, Cisco and Hartley having other scientists and engineers of S.T.A.R. Labs join in on the fun of their friendship. Over her months, more like a year, of working with them whole team she developed a huge love and respect for them. Lea grew close to Dr. Wells having a small crush on the older man, little did she know he felt the same way. Soon enough the night of Explosion came and everything changed.

Later on Leanna was sent to recruit Barry Allen since doctor Wells wanted to keep the coma patient at Star Labs instead, she agreed knowing that they can probably help him out when the time came. 9 months later Barry woke up and training with his speed began! One night, Harrison spoke into the microphone saying, “Run Barry Run!” for the first time as his hand causally slipped onto Lea’s in a comforting grip and she smiled back, leaning into his touch.

Later on the two started rather quickly dating over that. Dinner dates, kisses shared, hand holding, smiles, late night talks and etc. Love was in the air, friendships grew, Team Arrow came to visit Central City aka Oliver, Felicity and Ray, Team Flash was at its highest point but The Reverse Flash was out there…

Later Leanna gets a feeling that Harrison is hiding something from her and she confront him about him, Harrison tells her it’s nothing. Until a few days later while she’s walking down the hallways one morning at the Lab she leans against the wall noticing how difficulty tougher the wall felt and stumbles into room in between the wall where Thawne kept his suit and Gideon. EoWells became the new name.

Leanna is in shock finding the information as Gideon greets her saying “Hello Ms O’Conner. But you are only that last name during this lifetime. How may I be of assistance ma’am?” Leanna ask her the questions she has. But before she can ask about article and Eowells real family history, her boyfriend sneaks in behind. Eowells was standing, as he sat in Lea his famous chair and questioning her action by entering the Time Vault.

Eowells grumbles and pinching his nose, “Lea my dear, I love you. I really do but I can’t believe you’ll ask Gideon AND NOT ME!”

Leanna glares, “Oh please, Harrison or should I call you Eobard? I asked you earlier and you refused to answer me! If you really wanted my help or something, you could’ve been honest…do you care about me or am I just a game in your plan to build Team Flash..?”

“I-I do care! I can’t have them knowing yet, I promise you I will tell them about who I am and we can be together forever.”

“A week.”

“I’ll execute the best to way to tell them.”

“Or I tell the team.”

“You wouldn’t dare, I can tell your bluffing my dear.”

That night lead to screams, heartache and anger for the pair. Eobard told her bits and pieces of his story, but not everything keeping it a lie and Leanna fell for it. He hated seeing her that way, noticing the light and laughter flickering out of his girlfriend that night, pulling Lea into his arms, he kissed her and begged for forgiveness. She didn’t even know what to think, but let it slide hoping he kept his promise.

As weeks went on, Eobard didn’t say a word to Team Flash BUT Leanna did! She revealed his identity to Barry, Cisco, Caitlin, Joe and even Iris as they all worked against him. Eddie died sadly. Of course they defeated Reverse Flash, Barry went back in time to see his mother and they created a wormhole in Central City. Ronnie and Barry stopped it as Leanna held Caitlin in her arms knowing how heartbreaking it must’ve been for her friend.

~~~~

(Season 2–3)

Months later, everyone was working once again at Star Labs after a break from the chaotic year. Leanna worked with Joe and Caitlin most of those months as a biologist and detective. She became friends with Penny and her sister Patty, eventually finding a video tape for Barry and handing it to him. On there the video tape Eobard Thawne aka FAKE Harrison Wells confession to the murder of Nora Allen and his faults towards his relationship with Leanna O’Conner, saying that her and Barry have inherited a chunk, if not most of S.T.A.R Labs.

Everything was turning up nicely until two visitors from EARTH-2. Jay aka ZOOM and Harrison ‘Harry’ Wells. The moment Lea lay her eyes on Harry in Star Labs, she felt like she saw a ghost, like she was gonna throw up. The girl didn’t know what to think the long hours she spend standing near Wells and trying to get to know him. Cisco hated him, saying he was a grump and a total dick while Lea kept watch while working on a few test items noticing a look in Harrison Wells eyes. Anger, confusion, sadness and annoyance. The same way she felt.

She told Cisco, “Sooner or later, every man shows himself.” And Harry did. He was a little nicer in a way with Team Flash, being mostly closer to Cisco and Leanna. The three could be bickering over everything! However Harry seemed to care about her, finding her presents kind and lighten up his mood every once in a while. He barley heard her laugh or smile too often but when he did, he smiled.

One night, Leanna was closing the windows in Star Labs and checking up on the rooms before leaving it all to Harry. She stumbled into one of the labs searching for jacket that held a small brown notebook she lost earlier during the week. “Ah ha! I knew I left it in here…” She said with a small nod, noticing a small black notebook that was open with nice handwriting inside. She smiled.

Harry walked into the lab with a half nod and taking a seat near the sets of tables, grabbing his black markers and a white notepad scribbling down an idea. He felt her eyes on him and chuckled slightly, “Yes, O’Conner?”

“Is this yours?” She asked with a small half smile, taking a seat in one the stools pointing to the notebook.

He turned around questioning her query and eyes widen at the small black notebook, snatching it of the table and closing it. He glanced between the notebook and her before he asked, “What did you..see? In this case of the notebook, O’Conner.”

“Just your handwriting, and a narrative in the way you wrote a note, like a storyteller. And a name.” She replied honestly, pushing her hair out of her face. Harry questioned her knowledge cue her to speak more and she continued, “The name, Jesse, popped up on that small note.”

“…my daughter, Jesse. I told you and your team that Zoom took her, while some of his Metas came here to Earth 1. I miss her…”

“I can tell you do. I have a few nieces and nephews, I know how it feels to miss children you love…”

“Why are you so nice to me?”

“Because, Harry, you aren’t like the others. I can see the pain and anger in yours eyes after losing your light and laughter, being your daughter…I know that because I felt it. When your told the truth and something you love is taken from you..it hurts.”

“You were hurt before, weren’t you Lana?”

“Yeah. I was hurt before by Thawne, friends while I was child..even told that a woman couldn’t do much better than a man in my line of work.”

“They’re idiots.”

“What?”

“I’ve haven’t known you long but I can tell enough. Your very smart, kind, understanding and a badass with a gun. Hell, you shot down three Metas this month and cuffed them in front of the group like it was nothing. You show a lot of love and compassion towards everyone.”

“I was taught well. But don’t sell yourself short, Harry. Your a genius and gentle, a bit grumpy but it adds to your charm. You’re very understanding about a lot of things and see a lot compassion in people, notice things that they don’t.”

It was like sparks flew between that in that moment, of course they pair was attractive to each other after some time working together but this month felt stronger than ever. Harry saw a light flickering return in her eyes while Lea saw a balance of hope returning in his. Lea’s heart fluttered softly for him and Harry’s heart beats strongly for her. Two kept their emotions in control, not knowing what to say or do about this feeling..

Until Christmas time came near and Cisco hung mistletoe in Star Labs cortex, in hopes to have Caitlin and Jay along with the other couples to celebrate and kiss. But Cisco Ramon didn’t expect to walk into the Cortex, to find Harry Wells hands cupped onto Lea O’Conner’s face with such joy as her arms wrapped around his waist lean in for another sweet kiss. The two were in their own little world all smiles and no sorrow..

Cisco cleared his throat with his hands on his hips and yelled, “Well, well, well, if it isn’t The Grump and The Lady!”

The two snapped their heads towards Cisco in utter shock and slightly annoyance wanting to kick him out of the room. “Ramon!” Harry yelled with his hands still gently cupping his lady’s face, “Don’t you knock?!”

“Seriously, Cisco?!” Lea yelled at the same time as Harry did grumbling under her breath.

Cisco just laughed while also in shock wanting to know everything about this situation. He swore to not tell a soul but it didn’t last long as he told Barry, Iris and Caitlin, even Joe and Jay found out. They didn’t know how their relationship started exactly but it did and it felt just right. To add onto the dynamic, it was honestly a adorable height difference, if you ask Caitlin.

The two were inseparable, with Harry always standing behind her as his hands, placed comfortably on Lea’s shoulders as if it was the most normal thing in the world. She would smile taking one of his hands, placing a gentle kiss onto her knuckles that always tinkered with items in the lab. They weren’t big on PDA however the couple always seen giving small kisses on each other’s cheeks and forehead.

Of course, they bickered and fought like an old married couple at least twice a week, even over the smallest things.

~~~~~

Plenty of things happened, Harry got shot by Patty, a few metas, Jay revealed to actually be Zoom, and of course the famous trip to Earth 2 to save Jesse…Let’s just say Lea met Jesse under the worst circumstances as Zoom kidnapped her as well for high leverage over Team Flash.

Jesse screamed, ranted and cried the whole time, in the beginning Lea felt sorry for her and comforted the girl. Until her temper started to rise and snapped at the poor girl, telling Jesse that everything will be fine and that she’s braver than this! Eventually Jesse stopped and started talk to her to figure out how to escape. Thankfully Barry, Cisco, Harry, Killer Frost and others saved them! They all returned to Earth 1 with a survivor of Zoom to reveal himself as the REAL Jay Garrick. 

Everyone bonded, a few metas came in here and there. Harry, Lea, and Caitlin had to saved Jesse from going into shock. Lea and Jesse formed a bond afterwards. Plenty of other things happened as Barry’s dad died while trying to help them.

Eventually they defeated Zoom and everything was fine, until Barry created Flashpoint and you know what happened there! Team Flash was dealing with bigger issues due that change in the timeline order cause of the different Meta Humans, Caitlin becoming Killer Frost, Harry and HR, relationships blooming, the yearly crossover events and etc.

Forget to mention, Harry was a little jealous when HR would be flirty or anything similar to that with Lea. HR adored all the couples, especially Barry and Iris! But deep down he knew she was Harry’s lady.

~~~~~

As crazy it was, it was home. One afternoon, Harry walked into the lab to find Lea tinkering a equation for a biological connect between a few Meta humans and a new answer to Jesse’s speeding powers, getting a huge headache. He smiled, resting his hand on her waist kissing her shoulder tenderly. It was a rare occasion where he was the one easing her thoughts. Usually it was the other way around, with her being the one to do so, but it felt good.

Lea leaned into Harry’s touch and eased looking up at him with a small smile. They only been together for two years but it felt like they were the married couple of Team Flash with how comfortable they are around each other. She laced her lips giving him a cheeky kiss as he went in for another kiss.

“You forgot to add the 3 and subtract the 15, that’s why your having trouble.” Harry commented, taking the pen to fix the equation and being a genius, he solved it immediately.

“Of course I did. I’m better with a gun and genetic codes then rude math stuff..” Lea replied with a small huff, pointing to the paperwork.

“That’s why I’m the billionaire genius.”

“And I’m the junior biologist.”

“A gorgeous biologist, may I add.”

“I wouldn’t say that.”

“I would!”

Before she can replied or add anything else, Harry lifted the girl into her arms wrapping the love of his life into her arms grinning. Lea wrapped around his neck when suddenly she hissed her face laying on Harry’s chest, feeling a headache and a sharp ringing in her ears. His gripping stayed strongly against hers, rubbing her back until it passed and when it did, Harry asked, “Uh honey what was that? Are you okay?”

Lea whimpered for a moment and nodded, “I’m fine. I heard a ringing like a bell..or the elevator.”

“From here? Darling, your sure it’s not a headache…you’ve been having a lot of those recently.”

“No..it’s not.”

As if on cue, Cisco came in with a confused face holding a corn dog and texting Barry on his phone. He looked up and noticed the couple sensing something was wrong, Harry was skeptical, it happened out of the blue as he watch Lea’s reactions and his face lighted up. 

Cisco tossed Harry his machine and they the used old Meta Human detector waving it in front of her until it’s started slowly beating a gentle as Harry and Cisco face lit up. After a few hours it was confirmed, Leanna caught onto elements of being Meta Human!

—-

Hours and days passed as Leanna O’Conner became aware of her powers that bounced within her. She had to ability to have enhanced hearing. Cisco and Harry were VERY proud they found out of her abilities firsthand while Caitlin kept her abilities a secret. That was until Cisco and Lea found out with Barry about her power set. They love Caitlin and embraced her new abilities, even if Killer Frost revealed to be a bit of a insecurity for her. But Lea was always by her side for all of it!

To say Lea struggled with her powers was a understatement, there were moments where she heard everything from a 4 mile radius and moments where she couldn’t hear anything at all. The first days she couldn’t sleep or think straight, having to wear noise canceling headphones that Cisco and Harry built for her or Iris hug her from behind to hush her worries.

Weeks past and everything changed for Team Flash, they’re team grew up but also downgraded. Since Killer Frost kept showing up making issues harder, Savitar kept wanting to kill Iris, Wally West got powers and started dating Jesse, and etc.

OH! The Invasion, The Musical Crossover Event and happened as well. In result, was a world wrestling issue for the teams as Supergirl, Arrow, Legends and others join in. Barry and Iris even got engaged twice, which everyone celebrated.

More Metas came to town, causing Lea to take action and step up even more with Team Flash, since she was always behind the scenes of all the action. Time travel happened and then it was the night of Iris’s death…

It was a crazy nightmare for Barry and the rest of Team Flash, fighting against time to save Iris from Savitar and Killer Frost. Stressful, heartbreaking and frustrating to say the least. In the end they won, H.R. swapped positions with Iris, as she went to kill Savitor with a gun she took from Lea.

There was a small funeral held for H.R. Wells during a somewhat cold rainy day, everyone dressed in black underneath umbrellas burying their short lived friend. Caitlin returned as Killer Frost for the funeral telling Lea and Cisco she needs some time to figure herself out but will return later on. A few days later, Lea and Cisco were packing up for a small trip to Earth 2 with Harry when a portal opened a few blocks away result all of Team Flash to take action.

The portal was The Speed Force wanting Barry to spend some time with them for a while, for his issues of messing with the timeline. It was heartbreaking to see Barry Allen go, Lea held Iris in her arms comforting the girl as she had to watch her fiancé leave for a while. Julian, Cisco, Harry and Joe stayed behind watching the mere sad action take place as a group…

Thanks to reading and I hope you liked it. If you have any questions onto Season 4-5 put them in the comment section below 👇🏼

Tags: @gaminggirlsstuff @morgan108 @msrochelleromanofffelton @t-nd-rfoot @yetanotherwells @blueboirick @sherloquestea @sherlkore @gcthvile @ohgodnotagainn @topgun-imagines @gcthvile @superspookyjanelle @blackheart-beauty @hanlueluver and etc

[kitkatt0430]

5, 10, 26?

5.) Has fandom ever ruined a pairing for you?

So my first thought is no and I think that's how I usually answer this. But it may actually be a bit more complicated in a 'no but yes' sort of way.

So. Oliver/Felicity was not the original plan for the Arrow. Felicity wasn't even supposed to be a main character. She wasn't even supposed to be there beyond that one episode she first showed up in. But the actress made such an impression on the cast, show runners, and the audience that she became more important. And while a lot of people - including myself - assumed she was an original character for the show, it turns out she was supposed to be just another comics cameo shout out to a character not even Green Arrow comics adjacent. Apparently comics Felicity Smoak was Ronnie Raymond's antagonist and step mom.

O_o The more you know, huh?

Anywho, presumably the original plan for the show was Oliver/Laurel endgame. Like in the comics, where Dinah/Oliver - with Laurel being Dinah Laurel Lance, after all - being Oliver's partner both in vigilantism and romance. It... obviously didn't go that way with Laurel being brutally and unnecessarily killed off for shock value in S4. And that may have happened in part because of the popularity of the Olicity ship.

Backtracking a bit here, but Felicity's actress and Oliver's actor had great onscreen chemistry from day one. I can understand why the show runners chose to pivot to this ship, given that chemistry and the sheer popularity of the ship with the fans.

Oliver/Felicity pretty quickly became the most popular ship for the fandom and it still is. Not even Oliver/Barry - the second most tagged ship for the fandom over on Ao3 - has even a quarter of the fics that Olicity has. 12,600+ fics as of this moment and no doubt it'll continue to steadily go up. (for comparison, Olivarry has 1,600+ fics tagged)

Honestly, I shipped Felicity/Oliver pretty quickly while watching S1 too. I liked their dynamic, that she was the sunshine to Oliver's grumpy, she was willing to call him out even when he still scared her, and she - at the time, anyway - was willing to respect that she wasn't entitled to his secrets.

But time marched on. The show began to flanderize the characters to some degree even as they fleshed them out in others. Felicity lost her willingness to respect Oliver's boundaries, Oliver proved incapable of keeping character development from one season to the next... and as Felicity/Oliver moved from interesting chemistry to ship tease to official couple, they began to bring out the worst parts of each other. And my enjoyment that they were finally together soured.

How much of them being the official couple was because of the show runners picking up on the actors chemistry independently of the fans and how much was them seeing how much the fans wanted it so why not... we'll probably never really know for sure. But I suspect that fandom's shipping of the characters in the early days before Oliver/Laurel had a chance to truly be cemented was what both contributed to them being the official couple and thus killing my enjoyment of the ship.

(I suspect that Laurel/Oliver were meant to follow the path that Iris/Barry eventually did. Both Laurel and Iris were dating someone else in S1, a someone else who died in the finale after a reveal that they were related to the main villain in some way. In S2 Iris and Laurel are both learning to move on and find themselves without that relationship. But in S3 of the Flash, Iris and Barry finally hook up, but Laurel begins her vigilante arc in S3 that puts her at odds with Oliver while Felicity gets a love triangle with Oliver and Ray where Ray 'dies' at the end of the season... a little familiar sounding am I right?)

So fandom did not directly ruin the Olicity ship for me, but there is an argument to be made that it did so indirectly. So no... but also yes.

10.) Most disliked arc? Why?

It's so hard to choose because, sadly, there are so many.

It could be Mark Blaine trying to kill Khione to get Frost back, throwing a hissy fit when he's told no, and then creeping on Khione like she's Frost's replacement goldfish.

It could be the promise that S6 would give us an important Iris plot that turned out to being Iris side lined in the mirror world, stuck there while the real plot was going on else where, being forced to watch a duplicate most likely rape her husband, be about to break out of the mirror world herself only to be immediately turned into a damsel for Barry to rescue, and the creepy way she doesn't speak at all between waking up after the 'rescue' and going to kickstart the modified ASF to wake the original Speed Force back up... (Okay, yeah, this is probably arc I hate the most but...)

It could be how we were promised an important plot line for Cisco in S7 before he left the show and got what looked like the show runners forgetting about that until the last minute, giving us what could have been a fun episode if it were not completely ruined by Cisco's massively out of character decision to tell his besties he's leaving for ARGUS at the last minute. After making Cisco the one who stays at STAR Labs in the bad Savitar future and showing again and again how important his friendships are to him... to have him treat his friends like that was kinda shitty, tbh. Hell, most people treat bosses and coworkers they dislike better by giving the optional two weeks notice.

Armageddon. I think I've complained about that enough that my reasons for hating it are well known by now.

26.) Most shippable character?

Oh this is so hard to pick. I'm a multi-shipper so all the characters are imminently shippable to me, whether it's romantic, a QPP, or close friendships.

But if I try to narrow it down, it's either Cisco, Barry, or Hartley. I've written the most for a search on Cisco Ramon/* of my works, but Barry's a close second when I do Barry Allen/* but I think Hartley's got the most crossover ships that I ship regardless of whether I've written for it or not, such as Tommy/Hartley, Rip/Hartley, Ray/Hartley, etc. (Mick started on the Flash but he's primarily a Legends character. Does he count as a crossover ship? Yes but also no. And no but yes.)

Though of the ladies, I think Iris is probably the most shippable to me though Caitlin is a close second despite my arospec headcanons for her. Iris has a lot of chemistry with a lot of characters and while the number of romantic ships I enjoy for Caitlin is narrower, I'm more likely to contemplate different types of ships for her such as QPPs.

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

[jbuffyangel]

Hot and Cold: Arrow 1x22 Review (Darkness of the Edge of Town)

There is no episode that exemplifies the disjointed nature of Season 1 more than “Darkness on the Edge of Town.”  We have Exhibit A: an OTA field op and the smoaking hot chemistry of Stephen Amell and Emily Bett Rickards igniting in an elevator shaft of all places.

And Exhibit B: the other show. A frigid black hole I feared we’d never escape from.

Let’s dig in…

Olicity and OTA

Let’s start with the positive since there is soooooo much freaking positive! It can take time for a television series to find its footing in the first season.  Unfortunately, nowadays if the audience isn’t binging the entire season in 24 hours, the show gets canceled. But blessedly, this was 2013. Network TV was still the supreme ruler, and Arrow was pulling big enough numbers for the CW to allow for some leeway.

Twenty two episodes of leeway. Arrow finally found its groove and latched on to the mystical “it factor” that keeps an audience watching - Oliver, Felicity and Diggle. The chemistry and dynamic between these characters and the actors who play them is undeniable and it creates an action packed, laughing out loud, and sizzling hot episode. The writers are having FUN in “Darkness on the Edge of Town" and it shows, which means we get to have fun too.

Oliver decides to question his mother regarding the Undertaking, but she refuses to confess. So, Oliver and Diggle take a more brutal approach. The Hood kidnaps them both and beats the crap out of Oliver until she coughs up the information. It’s always hilarious when this show acts like David Ramsey can fit in Stephen Amell’s suit.

The burgeoning relationship between Oliver and Felicity is very much in its infancy. Oliver is fully in denial about feeling any type of way toward his IT girl. Never is that more apparent then when Oliver and Diggle return from the confrontation with Moira. Diggle gets a few solid whacks in, which I’m sure felt amazing given the absolute jackass Oliver was being the past few episodes.

Felicity has a much harder time concealing her feelings towards Oliver and it’s clear she worries about him. She is always the first to ask if he’s okay, offer a supportive ear to listen or shoulder to cry on. However, Oliver seems to draw a line in this episode when Felicity reaches to touch the bruise on his face. That small step was too much. He physically keeps her at arm’s length because the intimacy of Felicity’s concerned touch is not something Oliver is ready for. There is still a very big wall hiding all that pain, regret and unworthiness.

Source: @lyricalarrow

Admitting he remembers the exact day they met, however, is absolutely no problem. We shall come to discover just how much Oliver remembers about that day in later seasons. I have a lot of male friends and I guarantee you I don’t remember the day we met. However, the day I met my husband is burned into my memory.

The team determines the only way to stop Merlyn from leveling the Glades with a man-made earthquake machine is to find the location of the device. Unfortunately, Felicity is unable to hack Merlyn’s system so she needs direct access to his mainframe inside Merlyn Global Headquarters. LET'S DO CRIMES!

Oliver makes an appointment with Tommy (more on that later) while Felicity continues to up her adorability factor by dressing up as Big Belly Burger employee delivering lunch to a security guard otherwise known as John Diggle.

The burger is laced with benzodiazepine, so it knocks out the other security guard and gives John free reign to control the elevator & cameras. Do we know how Diggle is able to pose as a security guard? No. Do we care? Nope. Let the hijinks commence!

Oliver and Felicity make their way to the elevator, but not until Oliver unloads an unwelcomed dudebro hitting on Felicity.

Jealousy looks so good on him. The way Stephen Amell plays this scene, with his nails-on-a-chalkboard look at the word “sweetie” to robotically knocking the papers out of the elevator, is physical comedy at its best. Something Amell rarely gets to do, but he’s great at it.  

The mainframe is on the twenty fifth floor, but the elevator only goes up to the nineteenth, so Oliver and Felicity have some climbing to do. It seems Felicity is thinking of a certain kind of climbing as well and really who can blame her?

Source: @lyricalarrow

Oliver lifts her WITH ONE ARM out of the elevator, which is so freaking hot I cannot.

Then, very gently, bends down to wrap his arm around Felicity’s waist and loop her arm around his neck. Oliver is moving with the precision of a jungle cat, but it also feels like an incredibly elaborate way to grab hold of someone. It has a very superhero sweep-her-into-my-arms sensuality to it. The mission is giving Oliver plenty of reasons to touch Felicity and he doesn’t seem unhappy about it, particularly when he softly tells her, "Hold onto me tight."

Is it warm in here? Holy Moses, Oliver Queen. Get control. This man is a god to women, so he clearly understands the connotations of, “Hold onto me tight.” There’s a thousand different ways to say that platonically, but nope! Oliver charges headlong into the blinking neon lights of SEXUAL INNNUENDO.

Felicity’s Freudian slip didn’t feel so Freudian either. She knew exactly what she was saying and leveled her full meaning in a single look. I thought the elevator was going to combust from all the heat. If you are looking for the text book definition of undressing someone with your eyes than look no further than these two. They way they hold the gaze. WOW. Can we have all the nakedness now?!!! It’s a sin against science for Oliver and Felicity not to bang regularly BECAUSE THE CHEMISTRY.

THIS IS NOT THE BEHAVIOR OF A MAN MADLY IN LOVE WITH LAUREL LANCE.

This scene has the classic Superman and Lois Lane feel to it.

Source: @olicitygifs

Oliver is doing his vigilante thing, but his partner in crime isn’t the leading lady of Arrow. It’s a supporting character who’s feeling less and less supporting with each episode.

Unfortunately, Felicity is about to be discovered while Oliver is held up by Malcolm Merlyn, Thea and Roy Harper. This is a very popular day to visit Merlyn Global. Oliver’s frustration under his cool and calm exterior builds the tension nicely and we do wonder how Felicity is getting out of this jam. Never fear! It’s John Diggle to the rescue. Top notch comedy from both Rickards and Ramsey.

Source: @olicitygifs

Their first official team mission outside of the bunker is a wild success. Felicity still has to search through all of Merlyn’s data to determine the location of the device. Despite all the heat, hilarity and hijinks on this side of the show, Oliver makes an abrupt decision regarding the other side of the show that makes absolutely no sense.

Lauriver and Merlance

Still feeling warm friends? Well don’t worry. I have a nice bucket of ice cold water to dump on you.

As predicted, Oliver’s love confession messes with Laurel’s mind and obliterates any clear path back to Tommy. He drops this bomb on her and they have not spoken for a WEEK. Of course, this is all Laurel has thought about and she makes a rather elaborate speech admitting she has feelings for Oliver too.

Yeah, none of this is a surprise. Tommy knew Laurel had feelings for Oliver. We knew Laurel had feelings for Oliver. Hell, even Oliver knew. The only one who wasn’t admitting it was Laurel, so at least she’s finally being honest about things. You don’t get a love triangle if the central figure in the love triangle doesn’t have feelings for two people. The issue is who does Laurel love MORE.

Laurel: Maybe Tommy was right. Maybe he and I weren’t meant to be.

She had a clear answer last week. It was Tommy. She absolutely wanted to get back together with him, but Oliver decided honesty was the best policy on this one subject only. This line enrages me because Oliver has distracted Laurel from the man she is truly meant to be with. I will die on this hill, friends. DIE. ON. THIS. MERLANCE. HILL.

Laurel: Tommy’s a good guy. Are you?

Oliver: I didn’t have an agenda. I didn’t mean to make it more difficult to fix things with Tommy.

Oh for fucks sake. Yes, you did Oliver. That’s exactly why you said it. This is just a straight up lie. Oliver absolutely wanted to confuse Laurel. He just doesn’t want to look like the bad guy for doing it. This is some A+ Ollie behavior.

After Laurel makes a wonderfully impassioned and heartfelt speech about her feelings for Oliver, after probably obsessing about it for seven days straight, Oliver dumps her. AGAIN.

Oliver: Nothing’s changed. My life hasn’t changed. I haven’t changed.

I am infuriated on Laurel’s behalf with this flip flopping back and forth. The time to make this speech was last week in the hospital hallway. That was the moment to let her go and put Laurel on the plane with the man she belongs with, but Oliver couldn’t do it because it was too damn hard. It was just cruel and horribly unfair to both Tommy and Laurel because Oliver has absolutely no intention of being with her. But now it’s too late. The information is out there. You can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube, my dude.

Laurel pays her father a visit to basically get his permission to date Oliver again. Yeah, let’s make the man who lost his daughter to Oliver’s selfishness sign off on banging his other daughter again. This show.

Quentin’s speech is equally as empty as any speech Laurel’s made about seeing the change in Oliver because we, the audience, have not been privy to those moments. We’re just supposed to take their word for it even though the last time Quentin saw Oliver Queen he was trying to arrest him for drug trafficking. But sure, Quentin thinks he’s “changed.”

In order to make this storyline work, you have to give proper attention to the Lance family interacting with Oliver and the writers do not seem interested in doing that. All the important emotional growth takes place off screen and we’re supposed to accept it as fact because the characters tell us.

Meanwhile, they are organically growing the relationship Oliver has with Diggle, Felicity, hell even Roy! So we know the writers are capable of SHOWING these moments of character evolution. They just choose not to when it comes to the Lance family. It’s why the show feels so completely disjointed.

Oliver pays Tommy a visit and wants to have a chat.

Source: @queensarrow

So it's safe to say Tommy is still pissed.

Oliver encourages him to work things out with Laurel – kind of?

Oliver: Lord knows, I am guilty of a lot of things between us, but not you are her.

What’s infuriating about this conversation is that Oliver still refuses to accept any kind of responsibility in their break up. Oliver pretends to be a friend to the all feminists and touts Laurel’s independence and free will. She makes her own choices and she chose Tommy.

Tommy’s point is clear, even if it is self pitying; Laurel is not dealing with all the information. If she did have all the information then she would choose Oliver. From Oliver’s standpoint, it doesn’t matter because he can’t be with her.

That’s not reassuring to Tommy nor is it supposed to be. If the elements keeping Oliver and Laurel apart were removed (the Hood) then Oliver wouldn’t think twice about making a move on Laurel. And Tommy knows this. These are not the actions of a best friend, which is why he’s so pissed.

Now, Tommy’s big mistake was throwing in the towel too early. He should have NEVER given Oliver an opening with Laurel, but he did and it set them on this path. No we have to watch it play out.

Oliver: I promised myself that when I crossed all of these names off the list, I’d be done, but taking down these people, it doesn’t honor him. I was just treating the symptoms while the disease festered. I stop the Undertaking… I wipe out the disease.

Diggle: What are you saying Oliver? You would hang up the Hood?

Oliver: Merlyn’s plan is what I returned from the island to stop.

Does anyone else have whiplash? Oliver does a complete about face and determines he can be with Laurel since he only needs to cross one name off the list instead of dozens. He’s just missing one step, gee what could it be? Oh! I know. OLIVER STILL HAS TO CROSS MERLYN’S NAME OFF THE LIST AND STOP THE UNDERTAKING. Talk about counting your chickens before their hatched.

A hero’s journey is a very specific type of story. Joseph Campbell outline seventeen stages in 1949 and Christopher Vogler created an updated version in 2007 for screenwriting. I’m not going through all seventeen steps, but we can skip to the very last one regarding this storyline.

Freedom to Live/Return with the Elixir – meaning the hero has faced their internal and external struggles, has conquered the demons around them and earned the right to live as they choose. From a spiritual sense, the hero lives without fear of death.

It’s similar with Vogler’s elixir stage. From a community perspective, the hero has found the magical way to heal their wounded land. They are bringing hope, life and freedom back to their loved ones. In doing so, it gives the hero a personal victory. They’ve earned the right to experience peace and joy, which can be represented in a wide variety of narratives.

Oliver is hero. Arrow has made his endgame very clear - save Starling City. Has he saved the city? Has he stopped Malcolm Merlyn? NO. So why is his leather clad ass running all the way back to Laurel Lance to enjoy the fruits an elixir he has yet to procure? If Laurel is endgame, this makes absolutely no sense. This is too fast. It’s too abrupt. It doesn’t feel earned because it hasn’t been earned.

Clearly, the initial plan was to put Oliver (Green Arrow) and Laurel (Black Canary) on parallel, if not intersecting, paths. I’m not saying Oliver cannot be with Laurel as they evolve into superheroes together. But this is the first freaking season you guys! He hasn’t done a damn thing yet! Neither has she. And yet, here Oliver is, knocking on Laurel’s door, looking for some fruit.

Oliver: Ever since I’ve been back, we’ve been doing this dance. We come together and then I pull away.  Something pulls me away, but I think finally that something might be over.

Laurel: What are you are trying saying?

Oliver: That you know me better than anyone. And that you are more important to me than anyone. I just hope I didn’t wait too long to say it.

If Laurel has no clue Oliver is the Hood then can he really claim she knows him best? It sounds good to say, and probably what Laurel is dying to hear, but it rings hollow because there’s no evidence of this anywhere on the show. Laurel was wrong about who Oliver is all season. We are just supposed to accept some verbal acknowledgment of change, that she knows him better than anyone, but without any television scenes to back it up. That’s not how storytelling works, Arrow writers.

Sorry to beat a dead horse, but I warned you I wasn’t done with this topic - Oliver is still lying to Laurel. There should be more talking. What are those things pulling you away, Oliver? Why are they over? Are you a hooded, crime fighting, serial killer who has been mysteriously stalking me all year? Those are just some ideas off the top of my head. There is no person on this planet that Oliver needs an honest conversation with more than Laurel Lance, but nope. They jump straight to sex.  

Let’s talk about the sex. This has been built up all season. These two characters belong together. They are bulldozing over Tommy Merlyn to be together because they are this passionate romance that time cannot quell. It should be like the fourth of July in Laurel’s apartment right now.

Source: laurelscanary

Instead, of heat we get frigid. Fish have hotter sex.

I’m willing to acknowledge "Radioactive" was the hit song of 2013 and every show on the CW was using it. It has a very sexy beat and big crescendo. It sounds like a good song to use during a sex scene.

Except for the fact that it’s called RADIOACTIVE with lyrics like, “This is it, the apocalypse.” This is not the romance your Plan A couple usually requires in a scene like this. They had Blake Neely for a composer. Where’s Oliver and Laurel’s love theme? We'll probably get it in the season finale but anything would be better than "Radioactive."

Source: laurelscanary

Next issue. Black socks and jean shorts?  Wardrobe – what were you thinking? Nobody felt the need to tell Katie to take off the sox? Details matter!!

Source: laurelscanary

Stephen Amell and Katie Cassidy kissing are like watching two pieces of flat cardboard trying to hump each other. Can they choose a direction? Are we biting or no biting? Are we using tongue or no tongue? Can Oliver unbutton his shirt or does Laurel need to help? Is Oliver going to drop Laurel while trying to get her sweatshirt off? It was just so awkward from start to finish. ZERO SPARKS.

Source: habibialkaysani

And for the coup de grace, they leave the curtains pulled wide open, so Tommy can see them screwing from the street. The look of utter devastation on his face is heartbreaking and that’s the final image they leave us with as their love scene fades to black. Oliver and Laurel reuniting are not framed as a good thing. It’s framed as a betrayal, because that’s exactly what it is.

Source: @queensarrow

Even worse, Felicity finds the device while Oliver and Laurel are asleep and HE LEAVES. No note. No, honey I have to run out and save the city real quick, but I’ll be back for round two later. Nothing. But please, tell me again how much Ollie has changed.

When I watched this episode live I was horribly disappointed the big reunion with Laurel and Oliver fell flat. This was really my last gasp trying to be a Lauriver shipper. And I use the term “trying” loosely. I was more or less looking for any redeeming qualities in this love story, but after this hypothermic love scene I was officially out. I could not ship these two. I could never forgive them for betraying Tommy. But I feared Arrow would never move on from Oliver and Laurel.  

Of course, their real intention becomes all too clear later. Arrow was trying to blow them up to make way for something infinitely better.

 Theroy

Speaking of flipping back and forth, these two break up every other week. Roy is clearly committed to finding the Vigilante, which leads them to Merlyn Global and a run in with Oliver, the disapproving older brother. Again, Stephen Amell’s acting is superb.

I loved the way he said “What” to Thea and the firm alpha male handshake he gives Roy, warning him to stay away.

Obviously, Roy accomplished his goal. He found the Vigilante. Roy just doesn’t know it. He thinks Oliver Queen is too much of a wimp to ever consider him as the man in the hood. Thea was good and ticked off with that “wimp” remark. Enough to dump Roy. She will not tolerate any slander of her brother. #QUEENSIBILINGSFOREVER

But this is like the fifth time these two broke up, so it’s losing the impact. This isn’t all about the Hood’s identity and thanking him for saving Roy’s life. He wants to BE the Hood, so Roy can protect the people he loves and never lose anyone again. The question is – who did Roy lose? Unfortunately, Thea storms out before we get an answer, but hopefully one is coming in the season finale. (No I do not remember who).

Long story short, yes I like these two, but the faster the Arrow writers move the characters into the Hood storyline the better. Otherwise they are just marooned on their own show like Laurel Lance Island.

Stray Thoughts

Yao Fei died! It’s so sad and traumatic. I forgot he’s shot in the head. Really didn’t need to see that twice.

Fyers is shooting down a commercial airliner to destabilize the Chinese economy. It’s always about money for these assholes.

Walter wants a divorce and I would say their differences are irreconcilable. Moira is getting what she deserves. You can’t kidnap your husband for six months and then offer him tea and crumpets when he comes home.

"Who the hell is Felicity Smoak?" Uh oh. Quentin has Felicity’s name. That ain’t good.

“Is the other archer working for Merlyn?” Please don’t make Diggle look this dumb again.

Merlyn versus Oliver battle was EPIC! The fight scenes this season are so stellar.

“Psychopaths are color coding themselves. That’s helpful.” HA!

Listen to the Watchover podcast reaction to 1x22!!!

If you’d like to support the blog, please buy me a cup of tea!

Disclaimer: Any gifs on the blog are not mine. If you would like a gif removed from my reviews, please message me!

[periwinckles]

Please tell me you have a middle name - chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

“Happy birthday, Katniss.”

Madge’s voice is soft and neutral, trying not to draw Miss Smoak’s attention to us. It still startled me, because I wasn’t really expecting her to remember my birthday. We’re friends, but we’re not really that close, are we? She never acknowledged my birthday before, but I suppose an eighteenth birthday is more noteworthy than the rest. 

“Thank you.” I answer back, keeping my eyes in our assignment. 

The morning goes by in comfortable silence. I’m not really that interested in school, I much rather be outside. But given that we’re in our last months of school before heading for real adult life, most teachers are lenient with school work as long as we’re still in attendance. I still haven't figured out what I’ll do once I graduate. I need to have an official employment and “huntress” doesn't bode well with the Capitol. The morning provides itself to be a good occasion to try to sort out my options. The mines will be my last resort. I don’t really need a job, just a cover up, actually. Maybe Sae can register me as an employee.

When we sit down for lunch, Madge speaks up again. 

“Do you have any plans for the afternoon?” 

All students have Wednesday afternoons off, which means I usually have a habit of going to the woods. Not that I need to. We’re well stocked, with what I hunt in the mornings. But sometimes I like to go there just to watch everything else around me. Other times I take my knife and I make some arrows, while enjoying the sun. That’s probably what I will be doing today, but I can’t really admit it out loud to Madge. She knows about my illegal escaping and hunting, but who knows who might be listening?

“No plans.” I say, instead. “Why?”

She gives me a sheepish look as if she wants to ask me something but is afraid to do so. “My cousin Reese, he’s competing in the wrestling semifinals, this afternoon. He asked me to stay and watch… you know, to show him some support?” 

I nod, in recognition, both of her cousin and the wrestling tournament. I may be a little oblivious to the school’s extracurricular activities, but the wrestling tournament is a big thing, kind of hard to miss. 

“I don’t even know why he’s so adamant that I should be there. We all know he’s not winning. Anyway… do you by any chance… want to stay with me to watch the semifinals?”

I don’t pay that much attention to wrestling to know who has a better shot to go to the finals, but Reese Donner is a tall boy, he appears to be fit and from what I remember from previous years, quite fast too. 

“That’s a bit harsh. He could very well advance to the finals.”

“No way!” She says, with a shake of her head. ”He’s facing Peeta today.`` 

I inhale sharply, and I hope it goes unnoticed.

“Peeta?”

“Peeta Mellark, from the bakery? He sits next to Reese in class.” 

“Yeah, I… I think I know who it is.” 

Who am I kidding? I know very well who Peeta Mellark is. The baker’s youngest son is the reason my family didn’t starve to death when my father died in a mine explosion. To this day my greatest shame is that I was never able to thank him for his kindness and bravery.  

“Peeta won last year, and he’ll probably win this year too. But it might still be fun to watch even if the outcome is somewhat predictable…” 

I guess keeping Madge company isn’t that difficult and at least I’ll be able to root for Peeta, even if in secrecy. As far as “thank yous” go, it’s a lousy one , I know. But it might give me some assurance and peace of mind.

“I know it’s your birthday…”

“How long do we have to stay?” I ask

Her face visibly lightens with a smile. “It starts at three. I’m not sure if Reese and Peeta are the first match or the second one, but either way we should be done by four.”

I suppose I could spare an afternoon. I let my eyes wander through the school cafeteria until I spot Prim, chatting with her friends. When I tell her I’m staying for the wrestling tournament, she is ecstatic. If I’m staying that means she’s staying too. Not that she needs my permission to do so; she’s fourteen years old, and it’s been a while since I had any say in her daily life. But it’s my birthday and I know she wouldn’t be staying unless I did too. I guess it is a good decision, me staying. I’ll be making two people happy. 

When we get to the gym, the bleachers are already at full capacity. I don’t think we’ll be able to find an empty spot, but Reese Donner spots us from the first row.

“Madge! MADGE!”

He gets up and waves her forward, and I follow suit.

“You came!” He says with a bright smile and a one armed hug. He’s already in his wrestling attire and somewhat itchy with excitement. “Hi!” He says, turning to me. “Katniss, right?”

I nod in a tight lipped smile. I don’t think we ever exchanged words before today.

“Full house, huh?” Madge says as she looks around. “Sorry Reese, but I don't think my cousinly affection is enough to make me stand for two hours.”

“No need to stand, you can take my seat, I need to warm up, anyway.”

“What about Katniss?”

He turns to inspect us both and gives a shrug of approval.

“You’re both skinny, you’ll fit. Rye, scoot over.”

Peeta’s brother (Rye?) is sitting in the front row, next to Reese’s vacant seat. I remember him being a couple of years older than us and he used to be a wrestler as well. He moves a bit to his left leaving enough space for the both of us to sit, Madge next to him and me next to Madge. It’s a tight fit. We’re literally squeezed against each other, to the point where the girl sitting to my right gives me an annoyed look when she feels my shoulder pressed against hers.

“Is your girlfriend joining you?” Reese asks him.

“We broke up.” Rye says, shaking his head. “Enjoy it while you can Donner, dating is so much easier when you’re still underage.”

“So she got your shirt off, huh? Caught a glimpse of your chest? That’s precisely why I’m waiting for my soulmark to appear next month. Not worth the hassle, if you ask me.”

I try to look around, so it doesn't appear like I’m eavesdropping. Not that they are making too much effort to keep their conversation private. Reese shows no indication of wanting to warm up as he ends up sitting on the floor in front of Madge and Peeta’s brother. The three of them engage in conversation as I look around.

That’s when I spot Peeta, a few yards away from us, next to the wrestling mat. He’s warming up and, like Reese, he’s sporting a wrestling suit. It’s not a shocker that wrestling is usually dominated by the merchant class. Most merchants have more food than Seam folks, and one look at Peeta would be enough to understand why he’s a crowd favorite. He’s not as tall as Reese, or even his brother, but he’s broad shouldered and visibly strong. As I watch him stretching I notice the white bandage around his bare leg, just beneath his left knee.

“Is Peeta hurt?” I ask out loud before I can stop myself.

Read the rest on AO3

[the-feral-gremlin]

who do you think, out of everyone else that tried to take the green arrow moniker (john, mia, even emiko), who did it best other than ollie?

Probably Mia. Maybe it’s just the parallels between her and Oliver or the fact that her origins also started with losing her father and then losing a partner (I fully believe she harbored feelings towards Zoe) but I feel like she did/does a really good job of carrying out the legacy/ being the arrow.

Also I find it kinda ironic how almost every member who has been the arrow harbors some sort of family issues. (Diggle with his daddy issues and the whole Andy situation, Emiko with Robert and losing her mom at a young age, Mia with never knowing her father and just thinking he abandoned her and Felicity, Roy with whatever the fuck is going on with his parents, Oliver with his mother having the yacht sabotaged and.. everything his father did.) almost like “having family problems? You may be eligible to become a fucked up version of Robin Hood™️ :)” in the most painstakingly poetic way possible.

[blazethecheeto]

What songs fit Olicity (for ship ask)

I AM. SO GLAD YOU ASKED.

(i have playlists for so many a-verse characters and ships please ask me more i guarantee you i have songs.)

Tightrope from The Greatest Showman

because!! i always found this to be felicity saying that she accepts this crazy life with oliver and they can both grow together and they found themselves in each other and-

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Hand in my hand And we promised to never let go We're walking a tightrope

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You pulled me in and together we're lost in a dream Always in motion So I risk it all just to be with you And I risk it all for this life we choose

-

2. She Is The Sunlight by Trading Yesterday

this song is literally oliver describing felicity and saying he doesn't deserve her because he's too broken etc etc angst angst and also it sounds like him

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She lives in a daydream where I don't belong She is the sunlight and the sun is gone

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Then I am the martyr and love is to blame She is the healing and I am the pain

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3. Someone You Like - The Girl and the Dreamcatcher

hear me out on this one- this song is the most tooth-rotting sweetness that you can get and this is very s1-s2 olicity when they first get to know each other and start to catch feelings.

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I might never stop your sorrow Fix you up good as new But that don't mean that I can't hold your hand in mine

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I might never say I'm sorry Even if I done you wrong But I think I could be someone you like

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4. Paper Rings by Taylor Swift

no explanation for this one it screams olicity.

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Went home and tried to stalk you on the internet Now I've read all of the books beside your bed

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Kiss me once 'cause you know I had a long night Kiss me twice 'cause it's gonna be alright Three times 'cause I've waited my whole life

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5. Kissaphobic by Make Out Monday

this once again sounds like oliver in my mind and idk it has the vibes don't ask ALSO IT'S A W SONG PLEASE LISTEN TO IT.

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Your fingers are quivering Except when you're shivering I wanna hold your hand

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But I'm kissaphobic Don't wanna get too close to you Your mouth is a hurricane