#a golden cage is still a cage

[joeey-dee]

Do you have any Oliver headcannons? /gen

Yes, so many… don’t even know where to start, lol. 

Most are pre-Gambit, and who he was before. The show gave us very little information and what they did give us was a bit contradictory or the sources weren’t that reliable; the press, Oliver himself. And I know this statement probably seems a bit strange, how can Oliver not be a reliable source about his past? Well, it’s very simple, Oliver has a very negative view of himself, he also has the tendency to shoulder the blame for everything and twist and turn events around in his mind until he found a version of events that would make him the bad guy and solely responsible for all the bad that happened to people he cared about. 

This is shown very well during that scene by the fire with Sara on Lian Yu, when he apologizes to her and he pretty much tells her if it weren’t for him, she wouldn’t be there. This scene also brings something else with it that makes me appreciate it and Sara a lot, because different than most people in his life, Sara points out how ridiculous the notion that he is responsible for her being on Lian Yu with him is, that he did not force her, and that he wasn’t even the main reason why she joined him on the Gambit. That she is responsible for her own choices and the consequences that came with them. 

And even though, she „absolves“ him of his guilt, Oliver never stopped blaming himself and feeling responsible for what happened to Sara. Coming home and having people put all the blame back on him again didn’t help the situation.

So, the way Oliver sees the person he was pre-Gambit is not objective because the people in his life act as if he had been horrible, but the few flashbacks we got, some of the stories we got, show something different. Sure he made some serious mistakes, he was pretty much out of control (might not have been had his parents parented more instead of letting him get away with anything and everything and made things go away by throwing money at the situation instead of trying to find out why Oliver was acting the way he was. It worked with Thea, once Moira stepped up, Thea acted out less.) 

If you asked me, and this is one of my major head canons which pretty much bleeds into all of my stories, Oliver was already having serious mental issues before the Gambit. Mentally stable, and healthy people who literally have the world at their feet and all the opportunities there are, do not get drunk to the point of punching a paparazzo or peeing on a cop regularly. They do not sabotage a seemingly perfect relationship by cheating repeatedly. They do not throw their life away and waste their potential, and Oliver had a lot, he is highly intelligent.

I think the partying and drinking was both an escape and a cry for help.

I personally think Oliver was the poster child of the upper echelon that we see so often in the magazines or on TV. The ones most people are envious of because they believe simply by having been born into such a privileged world their lives are perfect. Yet, what most of us never see or consider is the pressure and expectations that come with that privilege or in Oliver’s case last name. To me it appeared he had no say or control over his life and future, he didn’t want to work for QC, but it was clear to his parents that he would. He didn’t seem to enjoy school or actually want to get a college education, he dropped out of four, yet he was forced to get one. It’s a juxtaposition he was in, on the one hand the sky was the limit, there was nothing he couldn’t do, because he owned more money than most people can even wrap their heads around and money can open a lot of doors that otherwise would stay shut, Oliver also seems to be a thrill seeker and that is a dangerous combination. I’d say, it is a pretty fair assessment that Oliver didn’t just drink a lot but also used drugs. Again, going by what I know about that societal class, it’s not difficult to believe that drugs were easy to come by at those parties. On the other hand, he was trapped in a life and a future he didn’t want; going to college, taking over QC. I think that can really mess with you. 

Oliver is also a bit of a people pleaser and he hates to hurt people and he also really doesn’t like confrontation or talking about his feelings. Which I think played a huge part in the issues he and Laurel ended up having. Plus when he did actually share his feelings, she didn’t take them seriously. 

What always bothers me is the way people act as if Oliver is a horrible person, which just shows me they obviously haven’t tried to see his side of the story, which just boggles my mind since the show is supposedly his story. Oliver is such a troubled and misunderstood person, but like Raisa said, he was a good boy, with a good heart, and that never changed. Oliver has a heart of gold and he just wants to see the people he loves happy and to help where he can. 

I trust Raisa and Thea’s view on pre-Gambit Oliver a lot more than Oliver’s. And yes, Thea’s might have to be taken with a small grain of salt too, because she was so young, he was her big bro and she idolized him, but would she have idolized him if he had been a bad big brother? I doubt it, and I think the way he treated Thea, made her a priority in his life even with their almost ten year age difference says a lot about the kind of person and older brother he was. 

Thank you so much for that question, I hope I answered it, not sure since I feel I got a little off track and it turned more into a ramble, sorry about that. If not, don’t hesitate to send another question, or if you want specifics, just ask and I try to answer them as well as I can. But one of my major head canons is that Oliver has always been a good guy, even before the Gambit, he was just troubled and struggling.

[amphirrhvx]

happy (unofficial) (late) birthday to everyone's favorite hollywood heartthrob 🩵

[senshis-tenshi]

Wamuu getting attached to Chantilly like a dad to a cat he didn’t want

[aislingarrow]

@marvelousandmysterious Guy

Aisling had escaped in the woods after the fight had broken out within Nottingham. It was quiet, not even Robin or his men were around as of yet, she had been one of the first to decide to vacate. Sword at her side, gripping tight to the hilt. Her archery kit also by her side but at close range she knew the blade was a better advantage. Aisling leaned against the tree trunk, it was a large tree which meant she was able to hide behind it given her smaller frame.

As she heard a twig snap close behind her, Aisling lifted the sword ready to strike her as blade found black leather and bare skin, missing by mere inches did she take an intake of breath. "What the fuck! Guy! I could have killed you!" She stated in annoyance, lowering the weapon. Piercing blue hues were wide like a rabbit in the headlights. Auburn curls falling upon her features. Yet she breathed heavily, it wasn't even but sharp and shallow.

Aisling brought the blade of the sword downward, hitting into soft earth she used it as a crutch as she fell to one knee. Her hand going to her side. Blood seeped between her fingers, something had clearly happened in the midst of battle before departing. "Guy.." Aisling muttered, she did not wish to appear weak and vulnerable, for what good would that do? At least in her own mind it meant weakness. "I can't.. I.. have to stand" there was that stubbornness again. That sheer will to live. Although she was a woman, purely meant to be nothing more than a wife, it seemed Aisling had the spirit of a warrior, of a fighter. With shaking legs she found her footing, leaning against the tree instead. "Well.. this is attractive, I am sure" sarcasm, a small smile forming across her features. "You know.. as I bleed out everywhere"

[valorums]

@deficd sent: ⭐ (( path of the wayseeker au 👀 ))

PATH OF THE WAYSEEKER is an alternate universe developed with @spokewar featuring force-sensitive Shi’al.

[gaylos-lobos]

there is so much symbolism in the grimwalkers being craved out of wood, the same way Caleb craved out a wooden mask for Pip when he was younger. the fact that he craves Caleb standins out of it, that Caleb craved Pip into the person he would become eventually. the way he always tries again with the grimwalkers.

cause if it worked with him then why shouldn’t it work with Caleb?

[studentinpursuitofclouds]

Dear diary, today I craved violence...

I'm pretty sure this is the same case as with Shane and Haley. But wow, that's how much effort it takes to make him so unpleasant.

[fourswords]

in my free time i'm typing out a little post-adventure of link story from loz 1 zelda's perspective on link bringing this OTHER princess zelda who was apparently asleep for centuries (and thank you SO much for the WARNING that he was going to be DOING this, IMPA [<-entirely sarcastic]) back to the castle and the acclimatization of everyone to the whole situation and it's genuinely so fun. loz 1 zelda's standing there like alright how do i gently break it to my relative from the distant peaceful past that she has to learn how to fight in this time period or she's going to get ripped to shreds by monsters. and then she says exactly that and when aol zelda predictably looks mildly freaked out about the subject and is just standing there internally screaming like yep! okay! sure! death and destruction is rampant in this world and it kind of makes me wish i'd never woken up at all! when do fighting lessons start! loz 1 zelda is just standing there like. hm. was that not gentle enough. i feel like that wasn't gentle enough.

[woogleart]

hi hiii i would love to hear more about bovary!! their background sounds super intriguing, how did that engagement go especially w their importance/wealthy family??

Hiii!! Ive been thinking about this ask since forever bc Bovary is so silly

Also please beware that this is quite explicit and deals with suicide, abuse and underage marriage so everything else will be under the read more

Actually their family did not care much/were always very busy so Bovary fled themselves into fantasy worlds inside books and imagined themselves in various scenarios. Plus they were so rich Bovary was taken care of by maids most of the time as well

Also before Bovary came across Faust and signed the contract, they presented and lived as a girl

Their husband Charles fell in love with them right away when they met by chance at a party. Bovary was considerably younger than him and it felt quite exciting for them to have an older man be interested in them which in turn made them say yes to the proposal immediately

Their family was absolutely fine with it since the guy was a wealthy man and had a great social standing so Bovary was married off

Thing is just,, that now their husband expected them to perform their stereotypical roles as a wife which meant that Bovary was bound down in expectations and lost the childlike innocence which they approached this marriage with

It just felt too normal and not as exciting how they imagined it which caused them to start to cheat and use their money to attract suitors and shower them in gifts

So basically their marriage sucked and they rather fled themselves into fantasy worlds and also got deep into debt considering their spending habits

Also Charles did try to accommodate them actually. Since he is a doctor he gave them the body modifications to present more masculine as well as hormones but that only made Bovary more dependent on him as he basically had an entire part of their life in his hands not to mention that he didn't take Bovary fully for a guy still intending for them to be the mother to his child and everything

In the end Bovary was so miserable they ran away and wanted to kill themselves with poison at which they met Faust who offered them a new chance with the contract, which they took immediately mainly because of the fairytale feeling of it. Therefore Faust became a somewhat special person to them

[when-wax-wings-melt]

i can’t let go of this...

[id: three portraits of Alvar, Fitz, and Biana Vackers’ (in that order) with various edits including eyeliner on all three, pink on Biana, gold on Fitz, and black on Alvar. all three have various types of earrings in gold, and are divided by zigzag gold lines. Fitz has a gold nose stud. Above Alvar is an image of a sword and shield with “Solder” over it in red bold text, overlaying black bold text as if it’s been replaced. Above Fitz is the image of a crown, trapped in a box of overlapping, repeating, rigid, all-caps text reading “King”. Above Biana is a quill in an inkpot, with the word “poet” in a dark pink cursive, scattered everywhere, upside down and backwards sometimes, seemingly without pattern. /end id]

[tennesseewynter]

[virgils-sinister-ships]

Imagining Winnie gushing about Pete to Nellie <33

[nonsupe]

the marshall's were prominent figures in panem. president and first lady in a world slowly coming back to its legs after too much spilled blood, putting the pieces back together again in their own controlled way. everything seemed to fit perfectly now, everything had an order and a precision that hadn't existed in the technical way it does today. and it was because of them. it was like they took everything in their hands and shaped it to work to their will, and if not by that will then by force. there was a vice grip over panem and recently reformed districts, it's been that way for as long as shiloh can remember.

because all of what he knows of an essence previous to panem was everything his mother told to him, who had a sufferers perspective. she lived in those dark times before panem had a real leader. his father had a similar story to hers, but he had an easier time growing accustomed to the changes as they happened while he was hiram marshall's personal bodyguard and hearing the plans spoken in closer proximity to him than almost anyone else. he knew what was coming and how to prepare for it.

it turn, some would say shiloh has the same luck. being close to the family as changes are made, as things were discussed in close enough proximity to him that he knows of the oncoming announcements before the rest of the people do. if only because he was hired, thanks to harry's own recommendation to the right people, to protect them during these times of change and dangerous politics when anyone could decide to take matters into their own hands and fuck it up again.

though his job was mostly to keep up with the son, leon, and keep him out of trouble and harms way, from making poor decisions that would keep him in those predicaments or something that would reflect poorly on him and the family. he was warned, of course, by those who were already familiar with his antics. warned by harry to mind him and watch for that gleam he gets in his eye when he was about to make a decision, especially an unwise one. but even with all the advice .. nobody could have truly prepared him for @antisupe.

" you're gonna get us both into trouble one day, " he says, and he can't resist the smile that comes with it. its not strange to be friends with a ward, right? " and you may be the only one who could charm your way out of it. "

[bloodhxney]

tag drop: alice lee ashford- modern royal verse

[aislingarrow]

@joyfulmagic continued

Aisling leaned into his hand in an automatic response. Piercing eyes upon his own with a soft gaze and a smile to match. She meant every word, he was hers and she loved him dearly. Yes, they were husband and wife but most of the time it didn't mean anything. Aisling placed her hand on top of his, even as he nuzzled her neck affectionately she couldn't help but laugh a little.

"I know.. I know..." She whispered, "I love you, and I mean that" She commented. Although being the sister of Robin Hood was difficult these days with her older brother being an outlaw, and having to seem neutral on the stance between Prince John, it became ever more difficult. Right now Aisling was glad that she had stability with Guy, it allowed her to ground herself.

[valorums]

@sithdestined | SITH RAISED ANAKIN AU.