#free lance writer | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

heartlilith · 7 months

Text

Sun in the Houses - Solar Return Chart

A Solar Return Chart "refers to the time when the Sun returns to the exact position it was in at the time of your birth in your natal chart. Since the Sun takes approximately 12 months to complete its cycle. Hence, a Solar Return happens every year. And, since this journey begins at the time of your birth, the return usually happens a day or two before or after your birthday" (via)

I like to think of an SR Chart as a yearly Natal Chart. You can see where the planets of your SR Chart fall into your Natal Chart or you can view your SR Chart by itself. I think both are important to acknowledge because you might relate to one chart more than the other or you might relate to both charts. For example; if you have Sun in the 10th house of your SR Chart but it falls into your 2nd house of your Natal Chart, look at both houses below (Sun in the 10th and Sun in the 2nd).

It's also important to remember that your sun sign will be the same every year, so if you're a Leo Sun in your Natal Chart, you'll be a Leo Sun every year in your SR Chart. Your Sun Sign might stay the same but the house it falls in and the aspects it makes will be different.

The Sun in your SR Chart represents where your focus is for the next 12 months, where you'll be concentrating the most. It also represents key themes that show up for you throughout the year. It's crucial to look at how your Sun is aspected to get a better glimpse of how you this placement will affect you.

Calculate your Solar Return Chart

Sun in the Houses

1h: Sun in the 1st house of your Solar Return Chart means your focus will primarily be on yourself, your physical appearance, and how you approach life. Since your natal sun sign would be your solar return rising, it could make for a more transformative and prosperous year. This year, you might decide to reinvent yourself physcially in some way; you may start working out or you could get tattoos. You could dye your hair or revamp your wardrobe; something that puts an emphasis on your individuality and that asserts your identity through physical appearance. It could also mean that your personality is more noticeable in some way and the people around you take notice. Since your rising sign affects the way you approach the world, it could also mean that you assert confidence in various aspects of life. Meaning, wherever you go you go with confidence; whether that be the workplace, school, or at home; you're generally more confident in all aspects of life (of course this also depends on the signs occupying corresponding houses). You might find that you get more attention this year (good or bad depending on aspects) or feel more comfortable with getting attention. You may go through something that changes your approach to life and the world around you. Remember you don't have to have intent, you could find that these things happen on their own, naturally.

Advice: Focus on how you want to appear to the world this year, put yourself and your needs first, and don't be afraid to express yourself - it's a great time to do so. People will pay more attention to you, so try to stay out of drama and scandals. Instead; aim to inspire the people around you.

2h: Sun in the 2nd house of your Solar Return Chart puts focus on your finances, your self-esteem, and your material possessions. Depending on how the Sun is aspected, it could mean that you're motivated to find other sources of income in order to bring more stability into your life. Check where the lord of your 2nd house is in your SR Chart (if 2nd house is in Taurus - check where Venus is in the houses, if it's in Gemini, check where Mercury falls in your houses). This can indicate how you can create another source of income. If it's in the 3rd house; writing and communicating can help you make more money, like blogging or becoming a free lance writer. If it's in the 5th house, creating and selling a product could help or even babysitting. You could also be focusing on saving money and budgeting. Your self esteem and values could change depending on how it's aspected. For example: Sun opposite Uranus could indicate that your self esteem fluctuates and is unstable for this year, along with your finances. Sun sextile/trine Jupiter could indicate that this year will bring wealth and you'll be secure within yourself. Sun in the 2nd house could make you focus more on material possessions; you could buy more stuff (purses, make up, clothes, jewelry) in order to boost your self esteem. You might stand up for yourself more when you notice people disrespecting you or you might need to change your personality in some way; if people are taking advantage of you, you might notice you need to act more assertive, for example.

Advice: Save your money incase unexpected expenses come up, take time out for yourself to practice self care, occasionally buy yourself a gift, learn how to invest

3h: Sun in the 3rd house of your Solar Return Chart puts focus on communication, siblings, short distance travel and transportation. This could manifest as keeping a journal this year to write down your thoughts and experiences. You may notice you're more curious this year and find ways to satisfy your curiosity; through reading, online research, and short distance travel. You may travel to new places like a new restaurant, a new beach, a new place that's close to where you are now. You're more inclined to share your thoughts and opinions with confidence and engage in meaningful conversations with others. You could make friends with people through similar interests; joining a book club and meeting a new friend or finding a new library to go to and meeting someone there. You will be full of mental energy that could manifest as anxiety depending on how your Sun is aspected. The relationships with your siblings might change for better or for worse or you might notice you spend more time with them. You might want to get involved in your community by volunteering, substitute teaching, reading to the elderly. You could start a successful blog that shares information on what you're interested in (astrology, fashion, psychology).

Advice: Getting into therapy would be very beneficial now, try new things and hobbies, join interesting clubs and try things you normally wouldn't.

4h: Having your Sun in the 4th house of your Solar Return Chart can bring family, your mother, and your home environment into focus. You might start thinking about starting a family, or someone in your family could become pregnant. You might visit your family a lot more this year and spend more time with them or your parents might visit your home a lot more. You'll want to focus on making your home more "homey" and decorating it in a way that aligns with who you are. You may become closer with your mother and spend more time with her. If harshly aspected, you may notice your mother (4h) and your father (Sun) may divorce or fight a lot more this year (this depends on other placements too). You may find that you'd rather be at home than go out, you'll be more introverted and prioritize comfort. You may have to stay home against your will due to duties related to children or maybe you have to stay home to take care of your mother or parents. Depending on Sun aspects, this could mean harmonious relationships with your family or it could mean more arguments. You might order a 23 and Me test to find out more about your ancestry and nationality.

Advice: Spend more time trying to get your family together, create happy memories with them and take pictures so you can look back on it. Focus on your home space and implement things that make it more comfortable. Invite people over for events or maybe throw a house warming party.

5h: Sun in the 5th house means focusing on hobbies, creativity, having fun, your inner child and children in general this year. This could mean less work and more play, whether that happens naturally or intentionally. You might take off work to go on vacation or even take work off to do something fun with your kids. You might pick up an old hobby or a new hobby that takes up your free time. Going out, being with friends, going to parties, throwing parties, or doing whatever your definition of fun is will be highlighted this year. You may notice that you're around more children this year which could result in connecting with your own inner child. For example, blowing bubbles with kids or pushing them on a swing could remind you of your own happy childhood memories. Connecting with your inner child this year is crucial; eating your favorite childhood meal, looking through old photos, or engaging in conversations with kids will be really beneficial. Self expression through hobbies, art, or writing can interest you this year. Since Sun in home in the 5th house, this almost always gaurantees an overall comfortable year (if Sun is badly aspected, this placement could make the aspects less intense). You could be more extroverted, creative, and carefree this year. You may find that you go on more dates or spend time on dating apps.

Advice: Focus on pleasure. What makes you happy? Your inner child happy? Try expressing yourself through artistic endeavors. Don't take life so seriously this year.

6h: Sun in the 6th house in the Solar Return Chart can indicate increased focus on physical health and wellness, daily routines, and your relationship to your peers/coworkers. This year you could end up making a dietary change; becoming a vegetarian or simply cutting out sugar. You could focus on what makes you feel good physically; working out and eating healthy. Depending on how the Sun is aspected, this could help you to "glow up" this year. You may try out yoga, pilates, or another workout class that interests you. Your daily routines will help you become more confident. We already talked about working out and eating healthy; this could also mean starting a skincare routine, a bedtime routine, or simply jotting down tasks in your planner. You may seek out alternative healing methods as well, again check aspects. This could include Traditional Chinese Medicine (acupuncture, medicinal herbs) or reiki and meditation in order to benefit your health. Relationships with peers/coworkers will be in focus as well, whether positively or negatively is up to the whole chart itself. Your energy levels can also be affected by the Sun and its' aspects.

Advice: Don't gossip in the workplace, adopt a pet, focus on how to spend your time more efficiently, start implementing positive habits in your daily routines.

7h: Sun in the 7th house in the Solar Return Chart can indicate focusing on love relationships, one on one friendships, and open enemies. You will want to get along with people in your life, you'll strive to have harmony and balance in these relationships. If you don't have a romantic partner, this might be the year that you meet someone special. Write down what qualities you want in a partner and see how they correspond with your natal 7th house. Manifesting and actively seeking a partner could help but it might just happen without your intention! If you have a romantic partner already, the Sun here makes you buckle down and really work on making the relationship flourish, or even taking it to the next level. This could be as big as getting engaged or married, or it could mean moving in together. It could be as little as meeting their parents or having them meet yours. All of this depends on the rest of the chart and if you look at house placements and aspects you can get a better sense of how you'll grow closer. The same goes for one on one connections in terms of friendships. You might grow closer to a friend or friends over the year. The 7th house also rules open enemies. Depending on aspects of the Sun this can be more or less prominent. Sun square Mars, for example, may mean that men with Aries or Scorpio-like qualities (doesn't have to be their Sun sign but can be) can brush you the wrong way or these people could even start arguments with you.

Advice: Focus on the positives and express to your lover or friend what you appreciate about them. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Stick up for yourself in a way that creates peace or better yet, kill the haters with kindness. Ask yourself why certain traits and aspects of other people bother you.

8h: Sun in the 8th house puts focus on personal and financial transformations, self discovery, intimacy, and shared resources. I won't lie, the 8th house can be a tough bid. All houses have their good and bad qualities but the 8th house is all about change which is uncomfortable for most. The good part about 8th house Sun is when you look back on your Solar Return a year from now, you'll be changed in a significant way. It can be hard but it will make you stronger, wiser, and more aligned with your higher self. You will face obstacles this year that will take you out of your comfort zone whether that's intentional or not. You may move out of your parents house and live across the country. You might go to therapy and realize why you act the way you do. You might be moving into your dorm in college this year. Think radical change. You might break up with your partner, move out, quit your job and move back home. It's hard to say exactly what will happen without seeing the rest of the chart because the 8th house rules "Deep personal transformation - " and that's it. Say your 8th house lord is in the 10th house, you'll experience a transformation related to your reputation or career, you may get fired or promoted in a significant way. Your reputation could take a blow or you could become famous. It's hard to tell, again, without looking at the whole chart.

Advice: Take things in stride, try to be your best self, trust yourself and the universe. Be careful with financial matters and contracts. Dive into taboos.

9h: Sun in the 9th house puts learning, long distance travel, and higher education into focus. You will want to expand your horizons in some way whether that be going to college, traveling and learning about different cultures, exploring spiritual practices, or seeking out profound experiences that lead to personal growth. Your year might consist of traveling abroad somewhere and learning about the place's culture. You could appreciate this culture and their values and implement it into your own life. You might go to college or take a course online that interests you in a way that others courses didn't. This course might alter your personality in some way. Say the course is about world religion, after learning about it you might explore it on your own time, for example; Buddhism (technically a philosophy but I digress...), you might take interest in their practice of meditation. You start meditating and it completely changes the way you view life, this could lead to a whole new belief system. You might take up a yoga class and after a couple months you might join your yoga class on a retreat somewhere; this could impact you tremendously and might change your course of life. After the retreat, you might become a yogi or start practicing something intense like Kundalini yoga. The possibilities with this house are endless, but they all start with being curious and wanting to learn something new. Take the first step by exploring other interests, you never know how they will affect your life!

Advice: Try something new this year, be open to new opportunities, quiet your inner critic and be spontaneous, don't let anxiety and insecurity get in your way.

10h: Sun in the 10th house of your Solar Return Chart could bring your career, reputation, and father (or dominant parent) into focus. This could indicate a need to be promoted or recognized by authority in terms of your career. You could get a raise or "climb the corporate ladder", you could find your true passion and open up a business. You might find that your relationship with your father or father figure impacts your personality in some way. You might grow closer or grow farther apart, you might recognize how the relationship affects you in your daily life. Sun in this house brings confidence into the workplace and depending on the aspects, coworkers could be jealous or threatened by that or you might get along well with them and gain popularity. Your reputation could be affected this year either negatively or positively; the Sun here on its own indicates that it will be affected positively but if squares or oppositions are present, it could go the other way. For instance, if Uranus squares your 10th house (aka MC/Midheaven), you might gain a reputation for being irresponsible or unreliable. If you have Venus sextile your MC, you may gain a reputation of being lovable and sociable and your relationship with your boss will be positive.

Advice: Be confident in the workplace and share your ideas. Don't be afraid to stand out. Try your best to create harmonious relationships with coworkers and if you're being treated poorly, stand up for yourself in a mature way. Ask for that promotion or raise.

11h: Sun in the 11th house of the Solar Return Chart puts friendships, community, and social media into your focus for the year. You will have the desire to expand your social circle or it can happen on it's own! You will want to be surrounded by like minded people that share your interests and ideas. The sign that occupies this house in your SR and Natal Chart can give you greater insight. If you have Scorpio in the 11th house of your Natal Chart, the friends you gain might hold some sort of power, they might transform you in some way (and this is true throughout your whole life). The ruler of the 11th house in your Solar Return Chart, say for example; Taurus, would fall into your Natal 5th house. Meaning the friends you make could have Scorpio/Taurus/Leo and even Aquarius placements (fixed signs). You could meet them through your children (the parents of your child's friend or you could connect with someone at a daycare while picking up your kids). You could meet these friends at a Paint n' Sip. You could meet a friend while going on a double date (think 5th house themes). Either way, they'll most likely have fixed sign energy and have planets falling in your natal 2nd, 5th, and 8th, and 11th house. Other than that, you may focus on getting more involved in your community; this could be volunteering or donating clothes to your local goodwill. You could become famous on social media! Or you could gain followers and attract more likes and comments on your posts.

Advice: Put yourself out there and join groups that spike your interest in order to connect with like-minded people. Get involved in your community or donate to a cause that you believe in. Raise money for the less fortunate or buy a meal for the homeless, you could start a chain reaction.

12h: Sun in the 12th house of your Solar Return Chart puts solitude, reflection, hidden enemies, and endings into focus for the year. This indicates that you'll be more introverted than ever, even if your Sun sign is the most extroverted of all the zodiac signs. You'll prefer to be alone which could sometimes lead to a feeling of loneliness. Sun in the 12th house could mean that you're your own worst enemy. Let go of limiting beliefs or insecurities; it's a good time to release problems relating to your ego since the 12th house also rules endings. The Sun shines a bright light on the house of the unknown, this could lead to finding out secrets or uncovering truths that could hurt your self esteem. If you're spiritual, you could connect more to your beliefs in some way (starting to pray more, going to church on Sundays, or reading books on Chakras and Crystal Healing, for example). If badly aspected, you could be hospitalized or in need of rehabilitation of some sort. Don't use drugs, don't gamble, don't take unnecessary risks. Focus on your mental health and reflect on who you are and what you'd like to change. The Sun in the 12th house could also signify an "ego death" which could put you through something significant that could change every aspect of who you are, since the Sun is the self. This could be as serious as a near fatal car accident or a near death experience of some sort (especially if Pluto/Mars are prominent). It could be as simple as helping others out and realizing that the collective is more important than the self and ego. Be patient with yourself this year and trust your intuition. Please, trust your intuition.

Advice: Don't take unnecessary risks, trust your gut, develop your psychic powers, start a dream journal, see a therapist. Ask for help when you need help, help someone in need, put yourself in other peoples' shoes. Go on a retreat and work on your relationship with yourself.

#astrology #astro observations #astrology community #astro #astro community #rising signs #leo #sagittarius #scorpio #cancer #solar return #solar return chart #sun in houses #sun in sr chart #solar return sun #astrology houses

721 notes · View notes

f1letters · 1 year

Text

f1letters' formula 1 fic recs - pt. 2

✨ PART 1 here ✨

first, a big shout out to @tinydancerjj for asking me for recs and inspiring me to make a part 2 - this one is for you! 💜

since I've been away from writing for a while, I think the least I can do to thank you all for your patience and the kind way you've always treated me is to list a few more of my favourite stories for you! once again, I tried to include a variety of different drivers to the best of my ability!

I honestly love doing these types of lists, so I hope you enjoy it and, like I said in part 1, please check out these amazing and talented writers!

love you all 💜 - cat

max verstappen | mv1

'the one' || @estevries

'devil on your shoulder' || @libraryofloveletters

'prove it' || @severalforraelee || 18 parts + extras

'brother in law' || @unluckyhoneybee || 2 parts

'baby pink' || @tierneysodegaard || 3 parts

daniel ricciardo | dr3

'the red string of me and you' || @libraryofloveletters

'the 1' || @lxclerc

'the best man' || @monzamash

'baby steps' || @vinvantae || 26 parts

'waterloo' || @vinvantae || 15 parts

lando norris | ln4

'fwb' || @f1goat || 11 parts

'a golf swing and a trampoline' || @jamminvroomvroom || 3 parts

'that's my sister' || @paddockbunny

'inappropriate' || @xhopelesslyromanticx

'twin' || @illicitlimerence-writes

pierre gasly | pg10

'just a little bit of you heart' || @silverstonesainz

charles leclerc | cl16

'stay, at least for breakfast' || @leclsrc

'see it through' || @leclsrc

'love you goodbye' || @lxclerc

'the winner takes it all' || @silverstonesainz || 5 parts

'secrets he'll keep' || @hey-kae || 2 parts

lance stroll | ls18

'après ski' || @mignonricciardo

'daddy's biggest fan' || @libraryofloveletters

'spotter' || @goodguylance

zhou guanyu | zg24

'starstrukk' || @lovelytsunoda

esteban ocon | eo31

'not that serious' || @libraryofloveletters

lewis hamilton | lh44

'our cave, collapsing' || @lewisyellowhelmet || 2 parts

'this won't pass' || @lewisloved

mick schumacher | ms47

'disapproval' || @holllandtrash

'staying away' || @lxclerc

'too little, too late' || @silverstonesainz

'mr. nice guy' || @leclsrc

carlos sainz | cs55

'the dining room' || @silverstonesainz

'ceilings' || @silverstonesainz

'written in the book of faith' || @libraryofloveletters

'has yet to pass' || @leclsrc

'a certain romance' || @leclsrc

george russell | gr63

'peace' || @illicitlimerence-writes

'upper hand' || @jamminvroomvroom || 7 parts

multiple drivers

'she will be loved' || @boredmadamoiselle || cl16 x lh44

'does he know?' || @clxja16 || cl16 x arthur leclerc || 3 parts

'the better series' || @holllandtrash || ln4 x pg10 || 7 parts

PS: if you want, feel free to leave your recommendations in the comments and/or message me! i'm always looking for new fics to read and I'd love to know your favourites! 💜

1K notes · View notes

matchaverse · 9 days

Text

HC: now hear me out… each driver being a different greek god/goddess.. like for example:

oscar = Apollo: Olympian god of music, poetry, art, oracles, archery, plague, medicine, sun, light and knowledge.

lando = Hypnos: the god of sleep. (this is one is kinda funny since lando can fall asleep anywhere).

charles = Eros: God of love and desire.

max = Nike: Goddess of victory.

logan = Poseidon: God of the sea, earthquakes and horses

lewis = Hebe: Goddess of eternal youth.

sergio = Enyo: Minor goddess of war and destruction

carlos = Aphrodite: Goddess of love and beauty (and war).

george = Hestia: goddess of the hearth, home, architecture, domesticity, family, and the state.

fernando = Hermes: God of trade, thieves, travelers, sports, athletes, and border crossings, guide to the Underworld and messenger of the gods

yuki = Hephaestus: God of fire, blacksmith and craftsmen.

lance = Tyche: Goddess of prosperity and fortune.

nico = Peitho: Greek goddess of persuasion and seduction.

kevin = Deimos: God of fear, panic and terror.

daniel = Caerus: Minor god of opportunity, luck and favorable moments.

esteban = Momus: God of satire, mockery, censure, writers and poets and a spirit of evil-spirited blame and unfair criticism.

alexander = Dionysus: An Olympian god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness, religious ecstasy and theatre.

zhou = Themis: the Titan goddess of divine law and order.

pierre = Pheme: Goddess of fame, gossip and renown.

valtteri = Cybele: The Greek goddess of caverns, mountains, nature and wild animals.

now this is just MY opinion on the topic, if anyone has suggestions please feel free to share. i would love to hear your thoughts.

(i might or might not be thinking of doing an f1 x percy jackson type story)

#f1 smau #f1 instagram au #f1 social media au #f1 x reader #formula 1 #formula 1 smau #formula 1 x reader #formula 1 x y/n #formula 1 x you #formula one #formaula one logan sargeant #oscar piastri f1 #formula one max verstappen #formula 1 charles leclerc #lando norris #formula one pierre gasly #formaula one pierre gasly #formula one esteban ocon

115 notes · View notes

lolabearwrites · 4 months

Text

Random things I would have loved for Voltron

-Keith never leaves w/ the BOM and stays the leader of Voltron (I have no problem with him being a blade, I actually enjoyed watching it, but I just didn't like him choosing them over Voltron)

-also! I wished we actually saw the "Galra Keith reveal" w/ the team. Such a missed opportunity.

-More of Lance being Keith's second in command. I feel like we didn't get a lot of that.

-Shiro stays dead. Look I love the man. One of my favorite characters. But after S2 it always feels like he just doesn't quite fit into the story like he used to.

-Very biased. But. Klance romance. Not the "will they won't they" shit. No. A actual relationship development. If it was written well I could see it happening maybe in s4/s5?

-Lotor and Keith friendship! Bonding over being mixed race and not fitting in.

-Keith learning Galra culture! Maybe through Lotor? Or BOM?

-Lotura. Pls. They were so cute.

-Oh, should have said this before the other three, but a Lotor redemption arc.

-A Keith and Lance ep. Because in eight seasons they never had an episode centered around them like they did for other characters. Klance had moments. But not eps.

-A Pidge arc !! She had a motivation (save her family) but not really an arc. The same could be said for Hunk.

-follow through with Lance's character development. Writers...you already set him up for it, you just had to follow through with it and actually do something with it.

-more found family fluff throughout the seasons. Because I felt like they never actually got to the level of "found family" if that makes sense

-change the armor color to match the lions. Mostly because I feel Keith wearing Shiro's armor for the first time when he takes over would also have an emotional impact.

- Coran being fleshed out. I know he's a comic relief. But I really love Coran! And I'd love to know more about him.

- I wish the team all had their own little quirks or interests, just something that didn't really have big significance to the story but made them feel more real, you know.

-okay, but It would have been amazing if team Voltron came to a planet that had no idea there was life outside their planet. Just like earth. Idk I feel like it would be funny XD

Anyway, that's my food for thought, feel free to add to this post :)

#voltron #klance #lola rambles #im still on my vld brainrot can u tell

144 notes · View notes

scrollonso · 14 days

Text

First Kiss (Race 15)

A strollonso AU where 18 year old rookie Lance Stroll falls helplessly in love with the notoriously mean world champion. (1.3k words, seblance, so cute, then ANGST. but then fluff?) [@v3lnys @biancathecool] {I don't like the end of this but fuck it we ball!!! and now writers block starts}

last part - masterlist - next part

Lance walked into the grid with Sebastian, he was going to be driving for Sauber during free practice so the two got to catch up until then.

They'd been in karting together for years before Formula 1 was even an atainable goal for the boys but now that one was a race winner and the other was negotiating a contract it was insane. Sometimes Lance wondered if him and Nico got on so well because he'd practically grown up with Seb and the two were pretty similar.

"Scared?" Lance asked, looking down at his friend as they just wandered around the paddock, it felt nice today.

"Should I be?" The German boy laughed, overgrown blonde hair being blown all over the place as they walked

"Five Germans on the grid today, I'm scared." He laughed as well, grabbing his shoulder in response to his friend smacking him

"Piss off" Sebastian groaned, speeding up to pass Lance, smiling as he heard his foot steps speed up, the Canadian pleading for him to slow down

Sebastian did well during free practice, Lance going to the Sauber garage straigjt away to congratulate his friend

"Kumpel" He called, pulling the shorter boy into his arms as he patted his back "Good job, Sebby"

"Sebby is insane." The German laughed, hugging his friend back

"Expected you to crash" He added, smiling once Seb pushed him away, cursing at him under his breath "Joking, joking, I knew you'd do good."

Qualifying came to an end, Lance in 8th, Fernando in 10th, and Nico in 19th. A very diverse group.

"Nando" Lance said, having found his boyfriend first because he'd been to busy with Sebastian to find him any earlier

"Hola, Lancito" The Spaniard smiled, it looked like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders just because he saw the Canadian. "How are you, mi vida?"

"I'm good" He nodded, Fernandos smile contagious. "Are you okay?"

"Si, why wouldn't I be?" Fernando questioned, not caring what place he qualified now that he was talking to Lance.

"Brad told me Quali wasn't the best for you are Fisichella, I figured you'd be upset."

"Am fine, just slower than usual. Engineers are looking at my car, not sure what is wrong." Lie.

Lance and Fernando spoke for a little longer before they began lining up on the grid, both Renault's in row 5 behind him and De La Rosa.

The race got off to a much better start but only 10 laps in Brad told him Nico was retiring, driveshaft issue, but his car seemed to be perfectly fine.

He didn't respond, just nodded to himself like Brad could see him.

In the next 20 laps both him and Fernando had managed to go up 3 and 4 spots, in 5th and 6th place respectively. Yamamoto and De La Rosa had also retired so now it was down to 19.

Another 13 laps went by smoothly, Lance and Fernando now in 4th and 5th until the Spaniard lost control and his engine blew, leaving a cloud of smoke and a worried Lance on the track

"Is Fernando okay?"

"Is Alonso the renault whos off the track?"

"Yes, is he okay?"

"He is, now focus, Lance." Brad said, unsure if the man was okay but he knew telling the Canadian that would just hurt his performance.

Lance ended the race in 4th, 8 seconds behind Robert but he couldn't bring himself to care as he went straight to looking for Fernando, his engineer telling the boy where he was.

He knocked on Fernandos drivers room, waiting for a second with no response so he knocked again "Nando?"

The door opened right away and before he could speak the Spaniard was hugging him

They spoke for a bit, going over the race together.

"You did so good, mi vida, so impressive for a rookie."

"I'm sorry about your race"

"Is okay, I do not care anyway." Lie. Fernando shrugged, simply brushing off the fact that his engine blew on track and he didn't finish.

"You don't care?" His eyebrows furrowed, wearing his emotions on his face.

"Lancito, am not sure why exactly you are upset, you finished the race in the points. I do not care about me not finishing, I simply have to try harder next week" Fernando was calm, how was he so calm. Michael Schumacher was 2 points behind him in the world championship. A seven time world champion was 2 points behind him in the world championship.

"Exactly, Nando, that's the problem! We're so close to the end of the season and you're so close to winning the world championship again and you just- you don't care? How can you not care?"

"The championship doesn't matter to me, all the media and hastle of being on the podium, is not what I look forward to, I love my job, Lancito, you know I do, but is not the only thing I have anymore." Lie.

"I know, you've said it a hundred times, Fernando. Of course I know you love racing. But I just- god I feel like it's my fault distracting you, I hate knowing that you're okay with losing because you get to see me, I hate to see you lose, you were born to win, you're too talented to give it up because of me."

"Lancito-" Fernando paused, running his hands through his messy hair "am sorry but you are wrong, that is not why I am fine with not winning, you are not at fault here, mi sol." Lie.

"Fine, but that doesn't change the fact that you have something good here, Nando, being a two time world champion is fantastic, I just-" Lance knew what he meant he just had no idea how to put it into words, he felt like the Spaniard wasn't understanding where he was coming from. He didn't want Fernando to throw anything away, he didn't want him to make any decisions where he considered Lance before his career. He loved having Fernandos attention, he loved being alone with him, he loved loving him, but the championship should be more important than that.

"Is that really what this is about? Me winning the championship?" Fernando asked, knitting his eyebrows together, somehow not surprised that the world championship is what Lance is most worried about "If this is about the title, Michael can take it. I don't want it without you."

"Fernando. Don't waste your talent because of me. You have a hunger." Lance shook his head, stepping away from him as the Spaniard desperately came after him "You're brilliant, you want to win, you want to be the best, and you are. Don't settle for second because of me."

"Okay, am sorry." Lie. He spoke softly, just wanting to end the conversation as his arms reached out and pulled the Canadian to him, one hand on the small of his back as the other stroked the boys hair, feeling how shakey his breaths were, he almost regretted lying about being sorry but now part of him was. "The rest of the season I'll be on that podium for you."

Lance didn't respond, he just settled his head in the crook of the Spaniards neck, eyes shutting as he took in the scent of the older man, embarrassed at how worked up he'd gotten himself over another persons race

"I'll win again, I'll win for us." Fernando said with false confidence, truly not caring whether he won or not. It was weird. He'd never cared about anything how he cares about Lance. He's never enjoyed losing but now he didn't mind it as long as he got to see Lance when it was over. But now he knew to never admit that to Lance so he would lie, just a little white lie.

39 notes · View notes

kaejayethewriter · 2 years

Text

It’s perfectly okay to feel lost… overwhelmed, drained, and disconnected! Truth is everyone has been there! They just won’t admit it! Take your time getting back to you. There’s no timeline on whatever journey your facing! Just be sure to get back to you!

PS: Don’t forget to exhale loves!

❤️ KJ

#kae jaye the writer #kae writes #words heal #blogger #daily writing #kae jaye #life #free lance writer #reality #thoughts #grieving journey #grief #dontforgettoexhaleloves #thisoneisformetoo

2 notes · View notes

russellsppttemplates · 7 months

Text

We'll figure out as we go (Lance Stroll)

A little peek into Lance's birthday celebrations

Note: english is not my first language. This is incredibly self indulgent, but the writer's block is still here and I have not been able to distract myself too much even though I have way too much free time (maybe another rant for another day), which means ruminating is a big part of my days. Also, let's pretend that the race calendar is a little different.

Thank you so much to everyone who likes and reblogs, your feedback is appreciated 🤍 and I'm taking requests so if you have any ideas or concepts you want to share, feel free to do so as I'll try to get to them the best I can!

my masterlist

Tw: f1 2023 season for AM, mentions wanting to start a family in the future, fertility issues, the tiniest suggestive smut

"Happy birthday, my love", you greeted Lance, your voice croaky from having just woken up. The bed was warm since you both planned to stay in for as long as you could before facing the outside world.

"Thank you, sweetheart", he mumbled back against your lips before kissing them, allowing himself to freely feel your skin against his palms as they travelled around your torso, "I love you".

Because of your schedules during the week, with you going to work pretty early and Lance's workout sessions also at the beggining of the day, these moments only really happened on the weekends he spent at home and whenever you travelled with him to watch him race from the paddock and not your usual spot on the sofa. So you decided to take it all in, even if you both had set an earlier alarm than usual and probably had the first room service request of the day.

"Part of me wants to go and race, but I'm also very, very tempted to stay here with you and celebrate", your boyfriend nudged, kissing your neck area before kissing all the way up to your lips, dissolving your smirk, "I don't think the team would be happy if you did that, and the fans, too, they're here to watch you, too", you reasoned, cupping his face and rubbing his cheeks with your thumbs.

"It seems keeping them happy has not been my strongest suit lately", he admitted, looking down slightly, "you're not responsible for anyone's happiness other than your own, Lance. Sure, you can help others feel happy, but it's not your responsibility", you smiled as he looked back up and into your eyes, "besides, it's your birthday, and after the race, we can go home and soak up eachother for a few days", you said, looking at the clock on the bedside table, "also, we have breakfast arriving any minute now", you kissed his cheek before you got up, heading to the bathroom to freshen up quickly.

When breakfast arrived at the door, you thanked the lovely employee and they set the plates and trays on the table, "we don't have a cake, but I'll make that one you really like when we're back home", you said, sitting in your boyfriend's lap as you enjoyed the plate of pancakes.

The race didn't go as planned, and with a double DNF, the whole team was feeling a little bit down, so after all of Lance's duties were taken care of, you went back to the hotel, packing the last few things into the suitcases and driving to the airport.

"I know you've had a way harder day than I've had, but I can't wait until I feel our bed", you cuddled closer to Lance once you were allowed to push the armrest between you upwards, "soon enough, you will", he kissed your forehead.

"I still can't believe I have you all to myself this week", he added, "I still have some things from work, they're just fine if I do them from home", you recalled, "but I couldn't agree more. I'm going to cling onto you like a limpet".

"Are you sure that we don't need anything else?", you asked again, "I have finished work for the day, I have time to bake something else", you added. "I know you like to cook, and that you wouldn't mind making dinner, but it's easier this way", Lance said, "you don't need to fuss around, and I get to have you for the rest of the day", he kissed your forehead, "right here with me".

The plan for the day was simple: after you finished your work assignments, you and Lance would spend the rest of the day basking in eachother's company and later Chloe and Scotty would join you for dinner provided by a caterer your boyfriend had arranged.

"How about we go on a walk? You said you wanted to do the trail the other day", you suggested, earning a nod as you both walked upstairs to grab what you needed. The previous rainy days called for stronger walking gear as the trail would be muddy, paired with a thick jumper and a puffy coat to protect you from the cold, "are you ready, darling?", Lance wondered seeing you walk to the door as you put your hood up, "didn't know I was going on a walk with the Michelin man", he teased you, kissing your cheek as he grabbed the keys from the bowl, opening the door for you.

Taking a walk had become one of your favourite outdoor activities with Lance since it was one of the fewer ones that didn't involve head protective gear or going at faster speeds than you liked, so you had grown acquainted to the trails and paths near where you lived, always wanting to explore them a little more and see what they had to offer. It quickly became your couple thing to do when you wanted a slow day, so whenever the weather allowed, you and Lance took that time to move your bodies as well as catching up, specially after double and triple headers.

"I really miss this quiet and calm whenever we're on the road", Lance began, "I love racing and travelling around the world to do it, but it's too loud sometimes". It was not a new confession or something you had never heard, and particularly with the season he and the team were having, you knew how much everything had gotten to him and how much he needed his safe place. For him, his safe place was somewhere he could be that was a little quieter, with friends and family and no other eyes prying around, and being with you, as he soon found out after you started dating. You had quickly become his safe person and he couldn't be more grateful.

"I get what you mean", you said, squeezing his hand that was laced in yours, "I spent last weekend with you and I've felt my social battery run low a couple of times", you admitted, "I love to watch you race, so I get what you mean", you stopped as he helped you across a big puddle, afraid you'd lose balance and fall, "but I'm glad you're also taking care of yourself. I'm very proud of you, Lance, in every way possible", you noted, seeing his blush and taking advantage of the fact that he was pulling you in slightly to fully face him and kiss his lips.

When you arrived back home, you and Lance went upstairs for a quick shower together, your boyfriend helping you wash your body after you grabbed a claw clip to secure as you did with him, the warm water and soft touches only stopping because soon the catering people would arrive to deliver the food.

When they knocked on the door, they quickly set the containers on the counter like you asked them too, explaining which ones contained what and a few instructions if you needed to heat them up and how to store them if there were leftovers. Thanking them one last time, Lance walked them to the door, coming back to the living room and helping you set the table.

"Your sister just texted me saying that Scotty is driving them here, they just left", you smiled, hugging Lance from the back first before he then turned to look at you, kissing your forehead, "thank you, for this and everything else, and before you go all 'I didn't even do anything' on me", he tutted, "I'm saying it because it is true, I would've gone mad if I didn't have you, so thank you for always being there for me. Here's to many more birthdays with you by my side", he kissed you, being interrupted by the door.

"Now, where's my girl Y/N?", you heard Chloe say, hearing her heels click against the wooden floor, "hey, gorgeous girl", you greeted her with a hug, "how have you been?", you asked, "same old, and you?".

"I've been good, busy with work and travelling with this one, but it's good busy", you smiled, tapping your boyfriend's back lightly before nudging him so you could hug Scotty, "has the older Stroll sibling been bugging you too much?", you wondered, "please, Y/N, I got the easier sibling, I should be the one asking you that", the snowboarder said, getting a giggle out of everyone before you headed to the dining room.

While you ate dinner, you took the opportunity to catch up with eacother, laughing and sharing recent and older memories as you enjoyed the food. By the time dessert was on the table, Chloe and Scotty gave Lance their present for him, "There's another bag, which is not a present for you", Chloe pointed out, grabbing the black paperbag from the sofa, "I like to think this is a collective... enjoyment for the night", she smiled, taking out a big brown book that, by the pages you could peek while it was still closed, looked like an old photo album.

"Mom found it when she was arranging space for the wedding photo album and she said that they messed up when they printed this one, so she had two copies. She gave me this so I could show you, too.", your sister in law smiled, opening it to reveal a picture of young Lance and Chloe hugging eachother.

"Oh, look! It's baby Lance!", you cooed, tracing your finger on a picture of Lance when he was probably no older than twelve months, laying down on what looked like a sun lounger. You could see Claire-Anne sitting by the end of it, attempting to get him to look at the camera even though he still looked at her, "That's one cute baby".

"He was a troublemaker though", Chloe chipped in, "not loads of times, I must admit, but he knew which buttons to push whenever he wanted to cause a tantrum", she defended, hugging her younger brother, "Oh, look! There's that one of when my tooth fell!".

Lance helped you move the plates and trays back to the kitchen so Scotty would have time to run back to the car and get the cake, allowing you to sing Happy Birthday to him and enjoy another slice of sweet and fluffy cake over a cup of wine.

"Lance probably wants another type of birthday celebrations", Scotty smirked, "and training ended me today, too, so maybe we could get going", he said, earning a nod from his wife, "me too, I'm exhausted", she got up, "thanks for dinner, guys", they said as you walked them to the door, not before swatting Scotty's arm, "you thought I didn't notice the comment?".

After leaving the downstairs area was somewhat tidy, you and Lance went upstairs to get redy for bed, "You know, the pictures just made me think about having a family of our own, little babies that look like you", you smiled, sitting next to him on the bed and nestling yourself on his chest, "I know it's not right now, but it got me thinking", you drew small random shapes on his skin.

"Me too, although I must admit I've seen your baby pictures and I'd be lying if I said that I don't imagine out kids with you chubby cheeks", he said, softly kissing the top of your head, "when the time comes, we will figure it out, okay?", he asked, already knowing where your mind was taking you. The diagnosis was a turning point, that was for sure, not only because you could finally put a pin on what was happening and that your discomfort was indeed caused by something, but because it came with uncertainties. For all you knew, it could either be something that would interfere only a little or it could put a serious dent in your fertility and how you and Lance would proceed to start your own family when the time came.

"We'll figure it out as we go, like we always do", you smiled, pushing him down on his back as you began kissing his jaw, "now, can I love on my handsome and wonderful boyfriend?".

#lance stroll imagine #lance stroll × reader #lance stroll fanfic #lance stroll fluff #f1 x reader #f1 imagine #f1 fanfic

139 notes · View notes

stars-over-ice-cream · 7 months

Text

☆ i'm a little bit in love with everyone i meet ☆

welcome to my blog, it's been waiting for you!

spotify ☆ ao3 ☆ pinterest

basic info i'm nem, nicknames are amazing, minor, she/her, pisces, lgbtq+, infj, school nights stan, certified lonely dancer, i love my red blue gay boys, kuch kuch hota hai is The comfort movie, midwest princess, i am the girl i've always been, lives in hoodies and jeans and winter hats, fanfic author, coffee shop aus are my life, poetry lover, butterflies and polaroids, writer in the dark, indie music, she was like a shot of espresso, know it's for the better, red wine supernova, getting pissed about humidity, late nights lover, taco bell loml, demigod, speak now and reputation #1, tortured poet, winter's the best season, theatre kid in theory, proudly married to @ashippingpotato love you <3, purple's the prettiest, history and literature obsessed, currently learning calligraphy, hotline (edit) my love, kajol is literally gorgeous shut up, kajal liner is the best fight me, free palestine and the congo

music chappell roan, clairo, olivia rodrigo, bo burnham, conan gray, phoebe bridgers, girl in red, liana flores, cults, lizzy mcalpine, boygenius, lucy dacus, julien baker, arctic monkeys, pritam, genevieve stokes, mac demarco, arijit singh, sabrina carpenter, maisie peters, taylor swift, lyn lapid, paramore, laufey, gracie abrams, renee rapp, billie eilish, xana

albums the tortured poets department, punisher, found heaven, speak now, superache, guts, reputation, kid krow, sour, melodrama, emails i can't send, AM, sunset season, pure heroine, inside, good riddance, the rise and fall of a midwest princess, tantrums, school nights, the record, fruitcake, folklore, born to die, riot!, the good witch

books wuthering heights, red white and royal blue, heartstopper, i was born for this, the hate you give, percy jackson, heroes of olympus, little women, the hunger games trilogy, solitaire, radio silence, loveless, one of us is lying, nick and charlie, all the bad apples (please please read it dear god), the fault in our stars

characters tori spring, nico di angelo, keith kogane, twilight, michael holden, peeta mellark, alex claremont-diaz, catherine linton, jo march, sylvia sherwood, georgia warr, hazel grace, damian desmond, charlie spring, percy jackson, nate macauley, bronwyn rojas, lance mcclain

fandoms (including all of the above) voltron, spy x family, dune, some star wars but not much tbh, osemanverse, she-ra and the princesses of power, kipo and the wonderbeasts, hamilton, dear evan hansen, heathers

and that's it! remember to drink water and sleep, love you guys <3

#intro post #nem's rambles

62 notes · View notes

formulalfc · 7 months

Text

requests open <3

get to know me: football edition⚽️

get to know me: formula one edition🏎️

come take part in my current ramble game !!!

Main Masterlist

blurbs/rambles

love languages master list

what would the liverpool squad

lyric blurb masterlist

ibou konate enthusiast🫶🫶

any hate towards myself or anyone will be blocked, this app is a safe space for many people, don't ruin that.

also if you are below the age of 18 please do not interact with my nsfw content xoxo

when you request please let me know if you want it to be a ramble (a shorter piece where i just essentially ramble about the idea you've given me) or if you want it to be a longer fic (will fully plot it out, probably be around 1000 words). in terms of time fics will take longer, whereas rambles take much less time.

who i write for:

football: alisson becker, joe gomez, virgil van dijk, ibrahima konate, kostas tsimikas, andy robertson, trent alexander arnold, curtis jones, dominik szoboszlai, ryan gravenberch, cody gakpo, darwin nunez, jude bellingham, christian pulisic, marcus rashford, levi colwill, ben chilwell, deli ali, jadon sancho, mason mount, kylian mbappe, kai havertz, joao felix, pablo gavi, pedri gonzalez, frenkie de jong, gio reyna, jobe bellingham

formula one: lewis hamilton, george russell, max verstappen, charles leclerc, carlos sainz jr, lando norris, oscar piastri, daniel ricciardo, lance stroll, alex albon, logan sargeant, yuki tsuoda, esteban ocon, pierre gasly, zhou guyanu, mick schumacher, sebastian vettel, jenson button, arthur leclerc

feel free to request other people but i may not do the requests or they may take longer to make :)

my work is exactly that, MINE. i do not give anyone permission to rewrite it or re-post it somewhere without asking me first. i put a lot of effort into my work as every writer on here does, so i really don't appreciate people just taking it and branding it as their own content.

tags i use:

blurbs with shan ;) (for all my blurbs)

formulalfc (for general posts)

fic's with shan ;) (for all my fics)

shan's fic recs 🫶 (my fic rec's)

shan's thoughts :) (for my thoughts on your driver/footballer thoughts)

lots of love xoxo

57 notes · View notes

thefabledpheasant · 1 month

Text

Merlin x Lancelot

Asked by @destinychicken68

So, agh, I go back and forth on this one A LOT. Because on one hand, I tend to headcanon Lancelot as straight, but then I see their scenes together and I go 🤔🤔

Honestly, I think Merlin and Lance are so goddamn charming that they are able to have extreme chemistry with basically anyone, so when the two of them are together, it’s like there are fireworks every second.

There are ships I like better than this one, but it IS an amazing ship. Lance matches Merlin’s sweetness to a crazy degree and it’s everything Merlin deserves, but not what I think Merlin falls hard for. I think they’re both so kind that there’d basically never be any angst and I need some angst lol

That being said, Lance should’ve been around him a lot more, in whatever way the writers would’ve given. Merlin needed someone like him around and they clearly made each other happy.

Ranking:

80/100

Feel free to Send me ships to rank :)

#thank you so much for the ask #!!!#you’re the best #bbc merlin #merlin #merlance #merlin x lancelot #merlin bbc #Lancelot #lancelot x merlin #asks #ship ranking

27 notes · View notes

jbuffyangel · 3 months

Text

Survive: Arrow 1x23 Review (Sacrifice)

Well, my friends… we made it to the end of Season 1. Arrow’s first season was often uneven as it searched for the magic to bring it all together, but supported by fantastic stunts and fight scenes, and a great hero's journey story.

That said, they deliver on the finale. “Sacrifice” is tense, exhilarating and, above all, tragic. In the eight seasons, the Season 1 finale still has me emotionally traumatized and is definitely my most mourned character loss on the show.

But there is massive hope for Olicity in some very key scenes, while Laurel & Oliver are left in the wreckage of the Glades.

This review is particularly spoiler heavy for Season 2. I cannot tell you how many times I started and restarted Arrow Season 1 reviews. It’s taken me the better part of a decade, so I am absolutely thrilled to say -

Let’s dig in…

Olicity (and Diggle)

Is Olicity the focus of this finale? No, not even close, but that’s okay. In fact, it’s very good. This is Season 1 friends. We are at the beginning of the story. Not the end. Oliver and Felicity are just getting started and Arrow makes it abundantly clear with scenes that echo through the show until the series finale. The absolute last thing we want is Oliver to get the girl in the Season 1 finale. *cough*Lauriver*cough*

Oliver left Laurel’s bed in 1x22 to take Malcolm down for good. He gets his ass handed to him on a platter instead and then Malcolm literally strings him up. Shirtless, sweaty and in chains. THIS IS A FAMILY SHOW. Get your head out of the gutter. HA! Just kidding. I’d never tell you that. Here’s some gifs of Oliver chained up and half naked. Enjoy.

Source: PaigeOTA

Diggle rescues Oliver after he already rescued himself, but it’s the thought that counts. Felicity is on her way to the bunker when Detective Lance picks her up.

Source: @felicitysmoakgifs

Paul Blackthorne is an actor’s actor. He is truly great, but Emily Bett Rickards finally gives Blackthorne someone to bounce off of. It makes the interrogation scene hilarious, but also sincere as Felicity voices the mission statement of the whole show.

Source: @felicitysmoakgifs

Detective Lance is a damn good cop (minus the fact he never pieces together that Oliver is the Hood, but that’s not really his fault. Oliver gaslit his suspicions masterfully). He reads Felicity Smoak for filth with the evidence he has on her. This is about the time Felicity should be asking for a lawyer, but it’s Oliver to the rescue instead.

Oliver actually calls the cops to report a crime! It’s really shocking quite frankly. He tells Lance that Merlyn is going to blow up the Glades and it needs to evacuated. Even more shocking than Oliver reporting a crime is the fact that Lance listens to him! See boys? Isn’t it better when we use our words?

Oliver feigns ignorance when Lance says he has Felicity in custody.

Alright he lies better than that, but Lance buys it because they have bigger fish to fry quite frankly, so he lets Felicity go.

Source: @livelovecaliforniadreams

Laurel told Oliver he was too selfish to be the Hood. Then she called the Hood a killer. Tommy called him a murderer after he learned Oliver’s true identity. Yes, the Vigilante/Hood has killed, but we’re not watching the story of the Vigilante or the Hood – the killer. We’re watching the story of Oliver Queen – the hero.

This is the first time the show has uttered the word "hero" in relation to masked man in the hood (I think? Feel free to fact check me) and it's said by none other than Felicity Smoak – the guest star, the girl Friday, the comedic relief. Or any other term those who failed to believe in this character liked to call Felicity to minimize her importance in the story. But the writers are not minimizing Felicity. They are elevating her.

Felicity admits initially she thought the Hood was a killer, but then she found out it was Oliver Queen. From the moment Felicity met Oliver she saw the light inside him. She sees who Oliver is and who he can become. In Felicity’s eyes there are no grey zones when it comes to Oliver Queen. There are no moral quandaries. Felicity knows both sides. She knows the hood and the man. She sees him as a good man who selflessly sacrifices for the people of Starling City every day.

Quentin: She says you care about the people of this city. That it needs you.

Felicity is telling Lance instead of hunting the Hood he should be working with him. And you know what? It works! Felicity has an impact on Detective Lance. He’s second guessing his approach to the Hood.

It used to be Laurel who was extolling the virtues of the Hood to her father, but now it’s Felicity. This shift is so incredibly subtle, given all the other Laurel activities in the final two episodes, but so incredibly important.

If you look at the history on superheroes (which is modern day Greek mythology) there is always one person who believes in the superhero, calls them a hero before anyone else, and loves the hero unconditionally – particularly when it’s inconceivable for the two to be together. That person is typically the superhero’s great love.

So WHY are the writers giving Felicity Smoak a love interest speech in the Season 1 finale? Particularly when Oliver just hopped out of Laurel Lance’s bed. Riddle me that kids! It’s also the line from which the episode title is pulled from – a significant factor when you look at the history of Arrow. This is the first time a series finale episode title is pulled from a Felicity Smoak line, but it’s not the last!

It’s Felicity who figures out where Merlyn has hidden the earthquake machine. The friggin map in Oliver’s book did actually mean something guys! Points to those who cared. I was not among them, but I rejoice in your win.

The device can be remote activated, so someone needs to find it, but Oliver isn't leaving anything to chance. He wants Diggle in the field to deactivate the device. But this leaves Oliver to fight Merlyn alone.

Diggle: He’ll kill you, Oliver.

Oliver: I know.

Can we talk for a moment about the absolute resolution in Oliver’s voice? There’s no fear. Not even sadness really. This is the way the battle ends – the way it was always going to end. Oliver came home to save his city, but it means sacrificing his life. Oliver is not suicidal, but he’s resigned to his fate.

Except, bit by bit, Oliver has allowed people he loves back into his life. That impenetrable wall, the one that made him almost machine like in the beginning of the season, has softened a bit. Those people are the tethers to his life and make it more difficult for Oliver to just let go now. He loves and is loved returned.

As far as Diggle speeches go, this is one of the greats. Oliver accepts Diggle’s help, but balks when Felicity volunteers to deactivate the device while John fights Merlyn with Oliver.

Oliver looks so proud of Felicity in this moment, particularly when she refuses to leave his side. So much is said between these two in just a single look. I am feeling verklempt.

Oliver cannot focus on fighting Merlyn if Felicity is not safe, so he calls Detective Lance for a second time and asks him to deactivate the device. He volunteers Felicity to talk Quentin through it. Yes, Oliver is willing to sacrifice his girlfriend’s father to save Felicity (HA!), who shall be hereby known as his Not Girlfriend-Girlfriend.

Lance and Felicity are successful. They deactivate the device. Oliver beats Malcolm, but he doesn’t outsmart him. There was a second device, and the team must watch helplessly as a portion of the Glades crumbles around them.

Source: @yet-i-remain-quiet

Oliver hears her voice and his first thought is of Felicity's safety. His second thought is of Laurel’s safety, once Felicity tells him the location of the damage. (Jen evil grins).

Admittedly, I missed all of these moments the first time I watched. I didn’t realize the importance until the Season 2 finale and I began this blog. The way Felicity sees Oliver Queen is the way he will be seen someday, but not in Season 1. He will become a hero, but this failure and loss will be one of many incredibly painful sacrifices in that journey.

There will be one woman, in a hero’s journey of her own, who will be integrally linked with Oliver. The one woman who saw Oliver Queen for who is truly is and believed in him from the beginning. The one woman he trusts and depends on. The one woman whose unconditional love helps Oliver Queen become a hero.

But it’s not the woman promised in the pilot.

The story shift was there all along my friends. We just had to look.

Lauriver and Merlance

The dreaded love triangle of Season 1 resolves itself in the most heart breaking and disastrous way possible. Actions have consequences, my friends. Don’t ever forget it.

A very drunk Tommy decides to pay his “best friend” a visit after witnessing his sex romp with Laurel. Tommy still can’t even bring himself to say sex. He refers to kissing, but come on my son. We all know where they were doing.

Oliver gives a classic sorry not sorry response and tries to pivot the conversation to Tommy’s mass murdering psychopathic father. Why Oliver feels the best time to share his father's evil mastermind plan is when Tommy is three sheets to a very drunkity drunk wind is beyond me. Oliver has the emotional intelligence of a stump in Season 1. I can’t even call him a pine tree yet.

Tommy swings on Oliver after he brings up Tommy’s mother. Yes, Oliver is trying to explain Malcolm’s motivation for destroying the Glades, but it’s just a step too far after banging the love of Tommy’s life. Oliver side steps it easily, but I wish the writers would’ve given Tommy that punch. Oliver completely deserves it. Not more than three seconds after telling Tommy to fight for Laurel, Oliver shows up at her door for an illicit sex romp. YES, I SAID ILLICIT. COME FIGHT ME.

Oliver: The difference between us Tommy is that I didn’t find out the truth about my father until it was too late. But you’ve always known, deep down, you have always known the man he is.

Tommy: I wish you would’ve died on that island.

This lands harder than any punch Tommy could’ve given Oliver.

After discovering her bed empty, Laurel pays Oliver a visit at the Queen Mansion because understandably she has questions. Like WHAT THE FUCK OLIVER???!!!

One of the first posts I wrote for Something to Live For was “Moments of Truth: Oliver’s S1 & S2 Queen Mansion Love Confessions.” You can still read it. I stand by every word of it. It’s funny that in ten years my perspective on this scene between Oliver and Laurel has not changed at all. I will try not to repeat myself too much, but the bottom line is the scene is not believable. There’s too much dishonesty. That’s the crux of my problem with it.

It’s supposed to be the big love confession between Oliver and Laurel. The entire season has been building toward it. Oliver assures Laurel that he’s not reverting to form by leaving her bed in the middle of the night with no note. Laurel believes Oliver is scared again and he’s running away – just like last time.

Oliver assures Laurel that he’s not afraid and there’s so much he wants to tell her. For the first time, we hear Oliver’s perspective on the island. It didn’t change him. It just stripped away all the things that he wasn’t, which was the person Laurel always saw.

I do not agree with Oliver’s perspective on island AT ALL. This is a beautifully prepared speech and I’m sure it made Laurel feel really good, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense when you parse it out. Lian Yu means purgatory. You suffer in the fire of your sins in purgatory. That pain and suffering is redemptive. It forms you into something new, something better. I do not believe Oliver was always a hero deep down. I believe Lian Yu burned him like molten steel until he was remade new. Ollie Queen died on that boat with his father, and he was formed into someone one else… something else to survive.

Agree to disagree, Oliver. Except, I am right, and you're wrong BECAUSE TREE STUMP.

Laurel believed Oliver could be more than a selfish, cheating, lazy, entitled, spoiled playboy who lived off his father’s money and did whatever he pleased, regardless of who it hurt. Laurel could see the potential in Oliver, but the writers never truly quantify what that potential is. I do not believe she meant a crime fighting archer who vigilantes by night and is a reclusive bar owner by day.

We don’t know what GOOD Laurel sees in Oliver. She’s basically mute on the topic. All Laurel will say is Oliver changed. So, we’re just supposed to accept that Oliver is a different person and the person he is today is the man Laurel always believed he could be. Ok. It would just be nice if Arrow would SHOW us that rather than tell.

I don’t want to rag on Laurel too much, because she’s really not my primary issue is this speech. She’s just the object of Oliver’s word vomit. And like I said, girlfriend has put in the YEARS, and this is probably the first time he’s articulated what she means to him. So, a win for Laurel I guess. However, hallow it is.

No, my issue is with Oliver. Not just in what he’s saying but in what he’s NOT saying. Oliver never tells Laurel that he’s the Hood. HE’S STILL LYING TO HER. Oliver is on his “nobody can know my secret” trip, so some of this we’ll just have to attribute it to being Season 1. But this is the big speech about who he truly is, so it would make sense for Oliver to tell Laurel WHO HE TRULY IS. He even says there’s so much he wants to tell her, but then doesn’t tell her anything.

Let’s remove the safety concern. This leaves two options. The first is Oliver intends to save the city, hang up the hood, and live a peaceful life with Laurel. The second is Oliver does not anticipate surviving this fight with Merlyn, so doesn’t feel it is necessary to tell Laurel the truth because he’ll be dead.

I’m a glass half full girl. Also, they are shining a big old spotlight on Oliver and Laurel as they kiss, so I think the first option is most likely. It’s also the reason Oliver raced over to hop into bed with Laurel the previous night. Oliver NEVER plans to tell Laurel he’s the Hood the same way he never planned to tell Tommy (or Moira, Thea, etc.).

The problem is, Oliver wants a new life with Laurel, one built on trust because trust is their big issue (because all the lying and cheating). But in order to have trust, there must be honesty. Oliver cannot hope to have a functional relationship with Laurel if he’s keeping a secret this big. Laurel deserves to know all sides of Oliver Queen - the man and the hood. Anything short of that proves Oliver hasn’t changed at all. Not when it comes to Laurel Lance.

The second option is very dark and twisty. He’s giving it one last go, telling Laurel how he feels, before he marches off to battle and dies. Is this something Oliver Queen would do? Absolutely. I’m just not convinced this is where his head space is at in this particular finale. Oliver is celebrating with Laurel like he already saved the city. But he hasn’t done anything yet, so the pacing of this scene feels very off. We’re in the middle of the episode, but it feels like the end.

Things brings me to my biggest problem with this speech – Oliver never says “I love you” to Laurel. This is the big love confession speech, but there is no “I love you.” Oliver says a lot of stuff, but he never says what’s really important and what Laurel truly deserves to hear.

You only put the couple together this early in an episode to break them up at the end. Cleary, Lauriver is going to be sacrificed on the altar of Starling City, but we don’t know how or why. We get our answer at the end of the episode.

NOW we get to rag on Laurel. Both Oliver and Lance tell her to stay out of the Glades, but does she listen? NO. Laurel and the rest of the staff at CNRI need to save paper. Yes, you read that correctly. PAPER. Apparently, all the clients would lose everything if they didn’t save the files. It was 2013, not 1954!!! Throw a litter of kittens or something in the building to make it make sense!

Of course, the building collapses and of course Laurel is trapped under a cement block. Ugh, just leave her there. I’m so over it. DIE WITH THE PAPER LAUREL! BE ONE WITH YOUR FILES!!

But it is not Oliver, dressed as the hood, ready to reveal his secret and save Laurel like we expect. It’s Tommy. Beautiful, precious, wonderful, cinnamon roll Tommy Merlyn who immediately tells Laurel the one thing Oliver Queen has not.

You can pinpoint the moment where Laurel realizes she made the biggest mistake of her life.

Tommy was always honest with Laurel. He loves her unconditionally. Tommy put Laurel first and made her laugh. They built a peaceful and happy life together. Tommy Merlyn was already the man Laurel wanted Oliver to become. He’s the man who truly deserves her. It wasn’t Oliver’s love confession we were waiting to hear. It was Tommy’s. It was always Tommy.

Laurel knows Tommy was the right man, the better man, for her but now it’s too late. She can never tell Tommy loves him. Laurel can never choose him. She can never make it right. All we can hear are her anguished screams as the building collapses around Tommy.

I’ve had my disagreements with Katie Cassidy over the years, but holy crap was her acting amazing in this scene. She sold Laurel’s despair and devastation. This is easily one of my favorite Laurel Lance scenes. Perhaps only surpassed by 3x01, but it’s an awfully close second.

Quentin: You have to promise me one thing Laurel. You’re not gonna die along with me. You have to go on with your life. After your sister died, I pushed people away. I became like a ghost, and I didn’t think I had the right to live if my baby couldn’t. Promise me you’re not going to make the same mistakes as I did.

Can someone just give Paul Blackthorne an award. I don’t care which one. Just give him awards. This scene, while a heart-breaking goodbye between a father and daughter, also perfectly sets up Laurel’s Season 2 arc. If Oliver Queen has taught us one thing it’s that you can physically survive, but emotionally may be a completely different story.

Laurel is begging for someone to help Tommy and when we see Oliver’s motorcycle it gives us a glimmer of hope that maybe he arrived just in time. Oliver removes the fallen concrete boulders away, but there is a rebar through Tommy’s chest and then we know it’s too late. Tommy’s final moments will be with Oliver.

There are more physically traumatic deaths on Arrow, but no other death impacted me more emotionally. He was not a perfect man, but there was a real light in Tommy Merlyn. He exuded humor and charm, but underneath all of that, was a truly kind and earnest man who wanted to be a better person, not only for the woman he loved, but for himself. And Tommy became a better man. In a series about hooded vigilantes, it’s easy to lose sight of what makes someone a good person. You don’t need to save a city. You just need to show up every day for the people you love. That’s all the heroism most of us really need.

Oliver knows one of the main reasons Tommy broke up with Laurel was because he felt he’d never measure up to Oliver. He could never swoop in and save Laurel like the Hood could. Tommy felt he wasn’t enough - Laurel wanted a hero. This is Oliver’s way of telling Tommy he is one. In the end, Tommy was everything Laurel needed him to be and more. Oliver is realizing this just like Laurel. Sometimes the clarity of death exposes the lunacy of our life choices.

If I didn’t love Oliver Queen so much, I would hate him for inserting himself between Laurel and Tommy. But I don’t need to hate Oliver Queen for his decisions. He’ll hate himself enough. I must forgive Oliver because he is incapable of forgiving himself.

Tommy never wanted to be like his father, which is why joining his company was so disheartening. We thought we’d lose Tommy to the darkness, but he proves once again he is the antithesis of Malcolm Merlyn by asking for Oliver’s forgiveness.

Oliver has been chasing forgiveness all season and what is so beautiful about this moment is how freely he absolves Tommy. Oliver refuses to accept Tommy has anything to even apologize for (which is correct). Sometimes when we are not forgiven it can harden us against those who require our forgiveness, but that hasn’t happened with Oliver Queen. There is a heart that loves deeply underneath that fortified wall of pain and we are watching it break.

Source: @olivergifs

Tommy asks Oliver if he killed Merlyn and Oliver says no. It’s a lie, but a merciful one. Tommy leaves this world for the next with a thank you as his final words to his best friend and Oliver shatters. He was ready to die to fulfill his mission, but he was not prepared to lose Tommy. Oliver begs God to switch places, but Tommy does not open his eyes. There is no reprieve from this grief. Tommy died and Oliver survived. It is a sacrifice much too difficult to bear.

I was absolutely gutted after this episode. It’s still hard to watch these final scenes to this day. I truly do not see how Laurel and Oliver overcome Tommy’s death. If Lauriver is the Titanic (and it is) and Sara was the iceberg, then Tommy is the split down the middle that sends the ship plummeting to the ocean bed. Quite frankly, I don’t understand how they ever overcame Sara, which is another problem with the big love confession in the mansion. Neither of them is being honest about their reasons for resurrecting this corpse of a relationship.

This is why Tommy is a death knell to Laurel & Oliver’s relationship. There is a confluence of events which led Tommy to that building and the primary factor (other than Laurel and her papers) was betrayal. Sure, all the technicality boxes are checked. Laurel and Tommy broke up, but boy did Oliver & Laurel have a hell of a time at the wake. (re: Rachel and Ross). Oliver betrayed Tommy just like he betrayed Laurel with Sara. And now Laurel is culpable in the same betrayal that made her wish for Oliver’s infinite suffering. This guilt is inescapable, and it will drive them apart.

Tommy is the nail in the coffin. Lauriver is dead and it needs to stay dead.

***Did I know this after watching the finale the first time? Nope. But I’m here to save you a lot of heartache, stress, and worry. You’re welcome. Enjoy Season 2!

Malcolm Merlyn

I haven’t written much about Merlyn and the Dark Archer primarily because we haven’t heard much from him outside of his conversations with Moira and flashbacks with Robert Queen. His motivations, albeit depraved and evil, are simple. His wife died in the Glades; therefore, the Glades must die.

Malcolm: You mother built her clinic in the Glades because she wanted to save this city. It can’t be saved. Because the people there don’t want it to be saved.

Tommy: So, you kill them all?

Malcolm: YES! They deserve to die, all of them, the way she died!!

“Sacrifice” showcases John Barrowman’s acting ability because he’s allowed to unleash the crazy, particularly when he explains his master plan to Tommy. Daddy is one friggin scarry fruit loop!

We also get some great super villain monologuing and much-needed philosophical debates between Malcolm and Oliver.

Oliver: Do you really think you’re honoring Tommy’s mother by destroying the Glades?

Malcolm: As surely as you believe you’re honoring your father by wearing this hood. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss your father.

Oliver: You’ll see him soon.

Malcolm: You can’t beat me, Oliver. Yes, you’re younger and you’re faster, yet you always seem to come up short against me. Wanna know why? Because you don’t know in your heart what you’re fighting for. What you’re willing to sacrifice, and I do.

This dialogue is so great! Classic good versus evil. The best villains are ones with emotional ties to the hero. The best villains are often the dark reflection of the hero. The terrifying part of Malcolm’s monologue is he’s right.

There is a thin, but discernible line between Oliver and Malcolm Merlyn. Oliver is choosing to murder guilty people to honor his father. Merlyn is murdering innocent people to honor his wife. It’s a big difference, but Oliver lacks the firm moral high ground needed in this conversation, which is why he silently twists helplessly in the chains.

Oliver’s own actions have handcuffed him in a way. He is a killer just like Malcolm. Yes, he killed bad people, but not always because he had to. Oliver killed to exact justice (revenge?) too. A justice based on his convictions and beliefs alone. But what does Oliver believe?

We can justify just about anything in this world if we want to, which is why it’s so important to have a moral code. Without one, you’re just making it up as you go along and it’s very easy to be pulled off track. Oliver’s code in Season 1 was the list of names. He thought saving the city was as simple as crossing names off a list. Oliver believes he was honoring Robert by making those who hurt the city pay for their unanswered crimes.

Felicity answers Malcolm’s question about sacrifice when she tells Quentin Lance who she believes the Vigilante is. She’s right. Oliver is willing to sacrifice a lot to save strangers. People he’s never met but feels a responsibility for because of the sins of his father. It’s not an insane idea. Some carry the weight of our parents’ failings and recognize themselves in Oliver Queen.

Both men are clearly willing to sacrifice their own lives. But Malcolm will sacrifice anything and anyone for his mission – including his own son. For Oliver that price was too high and one he never anticipated paying.

Tommy is not the only death in the series finale. Yao Fei dies in the flashbacks and its brutal. As we peel back the layers of Oliver Queen, we see how truly traumatizing those years away were. It’s freaking miracle Oliver can even function, let alone fight for his city. The symmetry of fighting Malcolm, the man who sent Oliver to Lian Yu, with Yao Fei’s’ bow, the man who saved him from Lian Yu, is exceptionally beautiful.

The rooftop battle between Malcolm and Oliver is the level of awesome I require in a series finale fight scene. In the end, Oliver kills Malcolm but fails to save the city. Primarily because Merlyn outsmarted him and used two earthquake machines. But Malcolm also beat Oliver because he was right. Oliver does not know what he is truly fighting for. A list of names is not enough to save the city and honor Robert Queen.

Oliver: Thank you for teaching me what I’m fighting for, but my father taught me how.

It looks like Malcolm will kill Oliver in the final moments of their fight, but Oliver flashes back to that moment on the boat with his father (like he did a thousand times on the island and over the course of the series) and recalls what his father instructed him to do: SURVIVE.

Oliver Queen has an indomitable will to survive. It’s the promise he made to his father. It’s what kept him alive the five years he was on the island. It’s why he ultimately beats Malcolm Merlyn. Pure determination.

But survival isn’t enough. None of us are here to survive life. It’s not a moral code. It’s why Oliver falls woefully short. Robert Queen taught Oliver how to survive, but it will take someone else to teach him how to live. Until he learns that lesson, he will never be the hero Starling City needs.

Stray Thoughts

The earthquake machine being at the location of where Malcolm’s wife was murdered does have a nice poetry to it. Crazy poetry. But poetry.

Oliver killing Fyers with Yao Fei’s bow which is the justice I needed. He also chooses to save Shado’s life over securing a ride home and we hear the Hood’s voice for the very first time. The evolution is happening!!!

Malcolm stops an arrow with his bare hand. It was friggin cool. It was even cooler when Oliver used an explosive arrow the next time Malcolm tried to pull the same trick.

“I take back every joke I made about you putting a tracker in your boot.” I love when this show tackles potential plot holes and the solutions make sense.

Fyers is shooting down a commercial airliner to mess with China’s economy like what happened to the USA on September 11th. I'm not a fan of killing, but anyone trying to repeat 9/11 needs to die.

Shado is really the hero in the flashbacks. Homegirl reprogrammed a missile and blows up the camp!

“What are laws, rules, if they don’t protect people?” Detective Lance is grappling with his own moral code and gets suspended. Quentin teaming up with the Hood? I am 100% down for this storyline.

Oliver: What about those people in the Glades?

Moira: I’m not their mother.

I’m as fierce a Mama Bear as any other mother, but this is not a good look Moira. I love that Oliver finally tells her how Robert died and that they have an honest conversation about Moira’s choices.

Moira going to the press to expose Malcolm Merlyn was AWESOME, but couldn’t she have thought of that like, I don’t know, twenty-three episodes ago?

Laurel is wearing green in the mansion scene. No, not even symbolic color coding will make me love these two. And that means a lot coming from me because symbolism is my freaking jam. This also includes the sunlight shining on Lauriver. It's a red herring. Pay it no attention.

Moira DEARDEN Queen. Wave hi to another comic book reference.

Thea goes to the Glades too to save Roy which makes her the second stupidest character in this episode. DOESN’T ANYONE HAVE A PHONE? JUST CALL HIM THEA.

Don’t pull the knife out, John. That’s literally the last thing you do.

“You fucking dumb ass.” My note while watching Laurel collect all the paper.

They should have killed Laurel and Tommy should have become the next Dark Archer. It would've been a waaaaay better story. They saved the wrong character. The Season 6 appearance by Colin Donnell supports this theory.

Just so you know where I was at emotionally in May 2013. On Wednesday I watched Tommy die on Arrow and then Thursday, on The Vampire Diaries, I watched Elena choose Damon while Stefan was trapped in a safe at the bottom of a lake drowning repeatedly. It is easily my worst series finale week EVER. Including Grey’s Anatomy Season 5 and 6 finales (hello trauma) and Pam dying on Dallas (I was six and thought she really died).

Listen to the Watchover podcast reaction to 1x23!!!

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!

30 notes · View notes